Foreign Affairs Ministers to discuss key transatlantic issues
Allied Foreign Ministers will gather for informal talks at NATO’s Headquarters in Brussels on 5 March to discuss a broad range of issues in the run-up to the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit early April. Topics on the agenda include the situation in Afghanistan, NATO-Russia relations and the Declaration on Alliance Security.
Prior to the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will hold a number of bilateral meetings with individual ministers, including with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for the first time in her new capacity.
Broad issues
The meeting will start with a session of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) with Invitees Albania and Croatia, where Ministers will exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and discuss support for the upcoming elections.
NATO Secretary General will also report to Ministers on his recent political contacts with Russian Federation officials. As agreed during the previous Foreign Ministers’ meeting on 2-3 December 2008, Allies will discuss possible next steps, including a decision to engage Russia formally in the NATO-Russia Council again.
The meeting will be followed by a working lunch of the NAC with Invitees, where Ministers are expected to have an initial discussion on the Declaration on Alliance Security to be adopted at the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit.
Mr. De Hoop Scheffer will hold a press conference at the conclusion of the meeting.