170th NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting

The 170th NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting will begin on Wednesday 22 January 2014 with sessions with partners from the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) on how to further develop practical cooperation.  Among the key speakers will be General Mashal Al Zaben, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, who will offer his views on the current security situation and challenges in the MD region.  Army General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, will attend the NATO Russia Council with Military Representatives (NRC-MR), sharing his views on military-to-military cooperation.  The Chiefs of Defence are expected to approve the 2014 NRC-MR Work Plan, which will launch this year’s activities.

Subsequently, the NATO and Partners’ Chiefs of Defence will review the current operation in Afghanistan and discuss plans for the future mission, Resolute Support.  Discussions will be triggered by situational updates from Ambassador Maurits Jochems, NATO's Senior Civilian Representative in the country, General Philip M. Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and General Joseph F. Dunford, Commander of the ISAF Operation.  At the meeting with KFOR partners, the Chiefs of Defence will receive a political and operational overview on the security situation in Kosovo, which will form a basis for discussion on NATO’s future presence in Kosovo.

Meetings on Thursday 23 January 2014 will focus on NATO Transformation and in particular on activities that support the delivery of ready, relevant and effective NATO military capabilities.  General Jean-Paul Paloméros, Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation, will offer his thoughts on Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 - a large scale exercise to be conducted in 2015, which will emphasise NATO’s focus on operational readiness - and wider aspects related to the Connected Forces Initiatives.  A presentation by General Patrick de Rousiers, the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, on the outcomes and implementations following the recent EU Defence Summit, will conclude the debates on Smart Defence.

The aim throughout the two days will be to analyse the key military deliverables for the forthcoming series of NATO Ministerial meetings and the subsequent NATO Summit to be held in Wales in 2014.

 Media opportunities

 Wednesday, 22 January 2014

 Thursday, 23 January 2014

Imagery

Photos and video of all opening sessions will be available online at www.nato.int/ims shortly after each meeting.  The media debrief will be made available on the NATO TV flip server and on the NATO website after the event, and on request by broadcasters through EBU.

Accreditation

All media representatives wishing to cover those opportunities should inform the NATO IMS Public Affairs Office no later than 21 January 2014 (see contact below). Media representatives holding a 2013 or 2014 NATO Media pass will have access as usual. Media representatives not in possession of a 2013 or 2014 NATO Media pass and wishing to attend those events are invited to contact the NATO IMS Public Affairs Office no later than 21 January 2014 (see contact below). They will have to present an ID document with a picture and a valid press card or a letter from their editor.

Enquiries

Point of contact for the Military Committee meetings:
LTC Hakan Yildiz
Tel: +32 2 707 5752
Mob: +32 475 757523

General press arrangements:
Ms. Elizabeth Steenson
Tel: +32 2 707 5423

Email: dims.deppia@hq.nato.int

TV-Radio:
Mr. Eric Morel
Tel: +32 2 707 1287