New Head of the NATO Military Liaison Mission in Moscow
Moscow, 26-28 April 2012 - The Director General of the International Military Staff, Lt Gen Juergen Bornemann, visited Moscow between the 26th and 28th of April 2012 to attend the ceremony marking the Handover of the new Head of the NATO Military Liaison Mission in Moscow. Having completed 4 years in post, Maj Gen Laszlo Makk of the Hungarian Army handed over to Rear Admiral Geir Osen of the Norwegian Navy.
Left to right: Rear Admiral Geir Osen of the Norwegian Navy, the Director General of the International Military Staff, Lt Gen Juergen Bornemann and Maj Gen Laszlo Makk of the Hungarian Army
During the ceremony, hosted by the Hungarian Embassy, Lt Gen Bornemann commented that the NATO Military Liaison Mission had recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, having been established with the May 2002 Rome Declaration and that it had played a central role in building trust, confidence and transparency in order to achieve stability and mutual understanding. Thanking Maj Gen Makk for his personal engagement and commitment to the NATO-Russia cause, Lt Gen Bornemann also praised the contribution made by Maj Gen Makk’s wife, Erika for her supporting role. Maj Gen Makk will be returning to Hungary to take up the position as Military Adviser to the Minister of Defence.
Welcoming R Adm Osen, Lt Gen Bornemann highlighted that his previous experience as the Norwegian Defence Attache would be hugely useful and wished him good fortune in what was a demanding but professionally satisfying role.
The event was also attended by representatives from the Attache Corps of NATO Nations in Moscow and from the Russian Ministry of Defence.