Press Release 171 22 Dec.

NATO Y2K Role During the millennium roll over, NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Co-ordination Centre (EADRCC) will serve as the Y2K focal point for the 45 NATO Partner countries in the EAPC. Over the New Year's week end, and longer if necessary, the EADRCC will operate around the clock to monitor and report on world-wide Y2K-related phenomena. In this way, the EADRCC can serve as the eyes and ears for 45 countries supplementing information they would otherwise monitor independently. In addition to information sharing among national Points of Contacts in EAPC member countries, the EADRCC will also maintain contact with the United Nations, the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In the event of the major mishap which may have serious consequences and for which international assistance might be required, the EADRCC is prepared to act on behalf of the stricken countries in accordance with its standard operating procedures to : serve the focal point for information sharing on assistance requests among EAPC countries; and in co-operation with the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, co-ordinate offers of international assistance. The 45 EAPC member countries are: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan.   * Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia by its constitutional name.

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