Visits to NATO HQ

The new Secretary General, Lord Robertson, had a busy first week at NATO HQ, with the visit of numerous high-level officials. In the course of the NATO-Japan Conference on 15 October, he met with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr Ryozo Kato. On the same day, he discussed the situation in the Balkans, and more specifically in the two republics (Serbia and Montenegro) and the province (Kosovo) which form the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic.

On 18 October, Finland's new Defence Minister, Jan-Erik Enestan, met with Lord Robertson to discuss subjects touching on NATO-EU relations and South-eastern Europe. The Secretary General then met with the Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.

On 19 October, Hungarian Prime Minister, Mr Viktor Orban, also came to Brussels. He announced a substantial rise in his country's defence spending next year so that Hungary may modernise its force structure and equipment, and work toward a smaller professional army. This was followed by a visit by UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mrs Sadako Ogata on 20 October. The Minister of Defence of Argentina, Mr Jorge Dominguez, and Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Boris Tarasyuk met Lord Robertson in the afternoon.