On the Agenda

Operations

The Alliance's operations, like the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) and Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean, are an essential tool for extending security and stability. The ability to conduct such robust military operations makes the Alliance unique.

At the Istanbul Summit, Heads of State and Government will review NATO's current operations:

	Afghanistan - the NATO-led ISAF is assisting the Afghan Transitional Authority in Kabul in the maintenance of security so that the Transitional Authority and United Nations personnel can operate in a secure environment. At the Summit, the Secretary General is expected to announce an expansion of the mission;
	Mediterranean - under Operation Active Endeavour, NATO ships are patrolling the Mediterranean and monitoring shipping to detect and deter terrorist activity;
	Bosnia and Herzegovina - the Alliance is preparing to terminate its peacekeeping mission in the country, in light of the improving security situation;
	Kosovo - NATO's commitment to Kosovo remains unflinching. The recent outbreaks of violence have only strengthened the Alliance's to see its mission through.

"Our Istanbul Summit will bring home that NATO is tackling the new challenges of the 21st century. It will bring home that the new NATO, the NATO of 26 members, is an Alliance that acts. It acts in the Balkans and Afghanistan, where our troops make the difference between war and peace. It acts in the Mediterranean, where our ships engage in anti-terrorist operations." - NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.