Opening remarks

by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with Mediterranean Dialogue invitee countries in Turkey

  • 06 May. 2019 -
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  • Last updated: 06 May. 2019 17:54

(As delivered)

So welcome once again to this meeting of the North Atlantic Council with its Mediterranean Dialogue partners and let me start by thanking Minister Çavuşoğlu for hosting us all today and also hosting us tomorrow when we go to Hatay and to see how Turkey is dealing with some of the challenges you face related to the situation in this region.

We are all delighted to be in Ankara to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mediterranean Dialogue.

Through the Mediterranean Dialogue, NATO has developed a unique network of partners across the region.

It has helped to boost trust and cooperation between members.

Practical cooperation has grown, addressing the needs of individual partners.

Strengthening defence capabilities and helping to address the challenges we all face.

This meeting is an opportunity to celebrate what we have done together.

But it is also a chance to look to the future.

NATO is dedicated to promoting peace and security across the Middle East and North Africa.

Through our continued fight against terrorism.

Including our membership of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh.

And by training local forces, in particular our training mission in Iraq.

Because prevention is better than intervention.

Our world is more complex and interconnected than ever before.

Working together through the Mediterranean Dialogue, we can make a significant difference.

We need to build on what we have already achieved.

Learn from each other, and work together to build a more stable, secure and peaceful future for us all.

And with that I give the floor to Minister Çavuşoğlu and once again so much for hosting us, for arranging this 25th anniversary of the Mediterranean Dialogue.

So thank you so much Mevlüt.