Press Release (99)22 24 Feb. 1999

24-26 February 1999 Conference in Valencia on The Mediterranean Dialogue and the New NATO On 24-26 February 1999 a Conference on "The Mediterranean Dialogue and the New NATO" will take place in Valencia, Spain. The Conference is organized by the Spanish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defence together with the Spanish Centre for International Relations, the Generalitat of Valencia and the NATO Office of Information and Press. At the Conference, the US Rand Corporation will present a report on "The Future of NATO's Initiative: Evolution and Next Steps" being a follow-up report to its results and recommendations on NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue presented in November 1997 at a Seminar in Rome. Apart from the President of the Spanish Government, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence in Spain the participants in the Conference will be the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General together with Ambassadors from the Alliance, the three invited countries and the six Mediterranean Dialogue Countries. It is the first opportunity for NATO Ambassadors and the Mediterranean Dialogue countries to meet jointly to discuss the way ahead for NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue. As such, it is an important step towards greater interaction between NATO and Mediterranean Dialogue countries. This event is particularly timely before the Washington Summit as the Alliance considers how to move forward NATO's external adaptation, of which the Mediterranean Dialogue is an integral part. NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue was launched in 1994 and currently involves six non-NATO countries of the Mediterranean region: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Dialogue reflects the Alliance's view that security in Europe is closely linked to security and stability in the Mediterranean. As such, it is an important component of the Alliance's policy of outreach and cooperation. For further information, please contact NATO Press and Media Service in Brussels, Tel : +32 (0)2 707 50 41. Fax : +32 (0)2 707 50 57