Questions and Answers

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen (Military Committee Spokesperson): We have approximately 10 minutes for questions and, as I mentioned earlier, please take your name and agency, which you represent. Please.

Q: It's Adrian Croft from Reuters. I have two questions for General Breedlove, please, if possible. One is that, very (inaudible) Afghanistan... the Afghan government has introduced new conditions in negotiations with NATO on Status Of Forces Agreement for the post-2014 mission. Is that a concern to you and do you think it is now more likely that both US and NATO forces will pull out of Afghanistan entirely at the end of this year?

And the second question, if I may, has Russia asked for any help from the US or NATO in terms of providing security for the Sochi Olympics. Thank you.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: General Breedlove.

General Philip M. Breedlove (Strategic Allied Commander Europe): Yes, excellent, first to the question of the BSA. There are many discussions going on in the BSA now and I would not care to try to characterize what they are or if there are new conditions. Clearly, the discussion is ongoing.

What is important is that the sooner we have a BSA, the better off we'll be. But we will remain flexible and be able to adapt to the timing and the agreement when we get it. In order to best position our forces, in order to best assure those who are going to donate, the sooner we will get a BSA, the better.

To the point of Russia, there have been ongoing conversations between Russia and many nations around the Olympics. And as you have heard, we've agreed to talk about of some of the capabilities for counter IED and others. I'm not specifically read into each of the details. But we will be cooperative with our Russian brothers and sisters as they approach these Olympics.

Just this... Yesterday, I had a good meeting with General Gerasimov and we exchanged the information. And we exchanged ways in which we will communicate around the Olympics. And I see this as a very positive development.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Next question please. Over there.

Q: Nawab Khan, from the News Agency of Kuwait KUNA. General Bartels began discussion with the Mediterranean partners. Was the situation in Syria raised and in other regional countries? My second question is: Was the ICI partners invited? I mean, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative partners. Thank you.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: General Bartels.

General Knud Bartels (Chairman of the NATO Military Committee): Thank you. To the last question... to the last part of your question, it was exclusively the Mediterranean Dialogue partners, which were present. And yes, indeed, in the framework of the discussion of the situation in the Middle East and in the North Africa, we did touch upon the Syrian crisis where we were given the perspectives from the nations close to it.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Right, I think it was over there. And then...

Q: Khalid Hameed Farooqi from GEO Television News Pakistan. General, Pentagon today released a statement that there will be 10,000 troops left beyond 2014, if an agreement is reached between Afghan government and NATO. Otherwise, there will be none; because it will be a reason to war continue and resistance continue. Is it a worrying development from the Americans release this statement? There will be no soldier, foreign soldier or NATO soldier, in Afghanistan?

General Knud Bartels: Let me highlight two things here. The first one, which was mentioned indirectly by General Breedlove, it is that we are (inaudible) also on the outcome of what is taking place in 2014. We still have 11 months to go and they are very important ones.

And secondly, as also highlighted by General Breedlove, we are continuing our planning. We are staying flexible and agile. And we're ready to adapt when a decision comes. And that's where we stand at this stage, which is fully supported by all the Chiefs of Defence of NATO and the future partners of Resolute Support mission.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Madam.

Q: Thanks, Teri Schultz with NPR and CBS. How flexible can you be if the budget negotiation process in member States and in Allies passes and no decision has been made on the BSA? How flexible can you be with forces if you haven't been budgeted for a post-2014 mission? At one point does it become impossible to do that with no new funding? Thanks.

General Knud Bartels: As to this dimension, I would say this is individual to each nation and each nation has its national procedures. The Chiefs of Defence uses this opportunity to express their full support and that they were ready to stay agile and flexible in the upcoming time to adapt to the political decision-making relation to mission Resolute Support. And we would have to see what the outcome of the Defence Ministerials in February are going to be.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: And I think we had a question just behind Reuters, over there. The gentleman, yes.

Q: Yes... My question... My name is Takashi with NHK Broadcasting. Just a follow-up on the same issues. I don't find any deadline that you have to make some kind of agreement on forces' starters. But there should be some kind of guidelines for that matter, even if you cannot tell the date. But when will be the deadline you can think of?

General Knud Bartels: We should keep in mind that we are in January 2014. And we still have 11 months to go. And as I mentioned earlier, we are focussing not only on the outcome of this campaign. We're also making sure that we can adapt. And we'll have to wait until further political guidance. And this approach is fully supported not only by our political masters but also by the Chiefs of Defence.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: General Breedlove, something to add?

General Philip M. Breedlove: I would just add to maybe help you understand this flexibility that CMC has talked about. As you know, as he has mentioned, we have 11 more months to go in this year. And during that 11 months a lot will be accomplished with the ANSF. Much good is already done. We have 11 months to work on some of the things that need to be worked on. But remember that during this time, we will begin to gradually withdraw our forces and troops anyway. So we are tracking to the budget discussion earlier. We are tracking close to what would be the number we expect for a Resolute Support mission anyway. And we hope to be completely into the mission of train, advise, assist by mid-2014 and hope to be very near whatever we anticipate is our size for the next mission by about October of 2014. So this process begins over the next year as we continue to work with our Afghan partners to develop the capacities that they need.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Right, next question please.

Q: Ana Pisonero from the Spanish News Agency Europa Press. I think it's for General Paloméros regarding the high visibility exercise that mainly Spain will host, the crisis management exercise. Are there any more details that you can give us about what are the kind of things? I mean is it just the NATO Response Force that will be... that will be tested? Or what are the main elements? And also I don't know if I understood too correctly, that we have already 20,000 troops that will be participating. But we understood that it would actually be a much bigger exercise entailing almost double or even more of that force that you mentioned. I don't know if you can (inaudible) now?

General Jean-Paul Paloméros (Strategic Allied Commander Transformation): It is for sure... We have three countries who volunteer, which is quite an achievement. And thanks to this commitment of Spain, Portugal and Italy we have a proper I will say framework for setting this exercise. This is first good news.

Secondly, Spain and other hosting nations have already offered facilities and (...inaudible...). And we are looking for mild time air and land environment. It will be a joint exercise by essence. And we will try to incorporate in that the many lessons that we have learned through the two decades... last two decades of operation. So, that will be a key event in term of high value for the people, who will be trained and exercised through the exercise. This is really... So first to answer to your question, NCS, the NATO Response Force will be a key player in that. But it will not be the only player. And we will try to, I would say, facilitate the interaction between the NATO Response Force and other national force which contributes to NATO level of ambition in such a high level of exercise, which figured very well a crisis of today. And the scenario will be very adapted to that with the new strands, as I said, Ballistic Missile Defence, cyber and other many, many aspects.

About the numbers, those are rough numbers but we must focus on quality as well. I'm sure that we will reach a higher level of involvement in the nations. Some nations have declared their commitment; but not yet with figures. But we are, as well, concentrating on the crucial capabilities the enablers, what we see as crucial in the new management of crisis. And I quoted intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance. We are looking for drones. We are looking for air-to-air refuelling. We are looking to all these capabilities from... capabilities from the sea as well. So really we want to make it realistic and effective.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Right. One final, very short question.

Q: Jan Kordys, from Agence Europe. The first session of your meeting was about the Mediterranean Dialogue. And in the small mail that we received just before the meeting, it was said that it will be about the progress on the practical cooperation. I don't know if there was ever a practical cooperation inside this Dialogue. But if there was, you can maybe say something about this and where do you think there is a possible progress. And the second question is for General Breedlove on Ocean Shield. You mentioned that this mission... What is the future of this mission? The EU is thinking about extending the mandate for another two years; but also to extend the possible action to fight illegal fishing? Do you think NATO could do the same? Thank you.

General Knud Bartels: Picking up on the first question, which relates to the Mediterranean Dialogue. The Mediterranean Dialogue is looking at a number of strands on which it can operate. The first one of course, the Alliance with the Mediterranean Dialogue as a whole, which is primarily a question of dialogue and exchange of views, exchange of information and creating a better understanding. Then there is the cooperation of the Alliance with the individual member of the Mediterranean Dialogue. The Alliance as such was a single country.

And finally, there is a number of Allies, bilateral or multilateral relations, and corporations with the nation on nations in question. And we want to strengthen all of them and to be a facilitator where it is necessary.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: General Breedlove.

General Philip M. Breedlove: Yes, to the question of Operation Ocean Shield, the short answer is yes, it will continue. It's one of our most successful operations, as you know. Virtually, it has eliminated piracy in the Horn. We will never completely eliminate piracy. As you know, this has been going on for thousands and thousands of years. But it has reduced piracy to historical low levels. And if we do not continue to pay attention to piracy, it will only return. So I expect that Operation Ocean Shield will continue for some time. It is also a magnificent example of where our partners have played major parts in this. Partner nations including the Ukraine, who have participated in Ocean Shield and then done such a significant contribution to it!

We have begun a conversation to your latter part of the question about whether we should adapt the mission. But no decisions have been take. And we'll begin to advise our political body about our thoughts as military men and women as to what the future of that operation should be.

Capt(n) Dan B. Termansen: Right, and with that, that completes the press conference. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming. I will stay for a while if you have any additional follow-up background questions. Thank you.