Visit by the NATO Secretary General to the Alliance Ground Surveillance Capability Project Office

On Friday September 8 at 10.30, the Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Willy Claes, will make an official visit to the Alliance Ground Surveillance Capability Project Office which is situated in the Belgian Air Force Base (Building B 12) opposite NATO HQ.

The Project Office was established by senior Armaments Representatives from NATO member countries
in February of this year. It is exploring possibilities for a cooperative Alliance approach towards securing an effective ground surveillance capability. Such a capability would be provided by airborne platforms (aircraft and helicopters).  Commenting before the visit, Secretary General Claes said that the experience gained in the Former Yugoslavia left him in no doubt that for the political and military conduct of operations in today's environment, "our Military Commanders need a far more effective picture of the ground situation".  They needed, Mr. Claes declared, "a capability for the ground picture complementary to the one that AWACS provides for the air picture".

Media interested in the visit should contact Mr. Georges De Brouwer, NATO Media Officer, tel: int'l
32-2-728.50.49. A fact sheet will be available for journalists.  For further, detailed information, please contact Dr. Friedhart Sellschopp, Team Leader of the Project Office, tel: int'l 32-2-728 7981, fax: int'l
32-2-728 7962.