Opening remarks

  • 27 Oct. 2016 -
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  • Last updated: 27 Oct. 2016 10:17

(As delivered)

So dear friends, I think we are ready to start.

And then I welcome you all to this meeting.

Today we will focus on NATO-EU cooperation. And we are ready to start now.

And I would specially welcome our Swedish and Finnish friends and also a special welcome to High Representative Vice President Federica Mogherini.

We are going to discuss NATO EU cooperation this morning.

We are together here because a stronger Europe means a stronger NATO.

We are already working closer than ever before for example in the Aegean Sea, where NATO’s deployment supports Greece, Turkey and the EU’s border agency Frontex. And together, we are breaking the lines of human trafficking.

We have now launched Operation Sea Guardian, our new maritime operation in the Mediterranean. Which can also support the EU’s Operation Sophia.

And today we will discuss how to deepen the NATO-EU cooperation and partnership further.

Including in areas of countering hybrid threats, cyber defence, exercises, and supporting our partners.

And that concludes the public part of this meeting so I thank the representatives of the media and then we can continue in just a moment.