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| Updated: 05-Dec-2003 | NATO Press Releases |
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Press Release {Number} 26 Nov. 2003 |
Launch
of NATO Multinational CBRN Defence Battalion
On Monday, December 1, another significant step in NATO's military transformation
takes place when the Alliance's new Multinational Chemical, Biological
Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Battalion achieves its Initial
Operational Capability.
The event will be marked by Defence Ministers at NATO during their ministerial meeting in Brussels on December 1, and then two days later, on Wednesday, December 3, there will be a formal launch ceremony in the Czech Republic, where the new unit is based. At NATO headquarters at 1300 on December 1 there will be a brief public event to mark this occasion with remarks by Secretary General Lord Robertson, and as the first lead nation, the Czech Defence Minister. All journalists accredited to the ministerial are welcome to attend. Further details will be provided on the day.
This multinational Battalion has been established by the direction of the North Atlantic Council and represents another advance in capabilities resulting from the Prague Capabilities Commitments agreed by NATO heads of state and government at the Prague summit in 2002. The CBRN battalion is a new capability designed to respond and defend against the use of weapons of mass destruction both inside and beyond NATO’s area of responsibility. As such it is a significant part of NATO's transformation to respond to the new security challenges of the 21st century. The Czech Republic has been assigned to lead this Battalion. Mayor Vratislav Osvald has been appointed as Battalion Commander and the core of this unit consists of more than 160 NBC specialists from the 31st CBRN Defence in Liberec. Presently, there are thirteen nations participating in the formation of the Battalion: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and USA. Beginning 1 Dec 2003, the multinational CBRN Defence Battalion will be headquartered in Liberec, in the northern part of the Czech Republic. Each participating nation has been offered positions within the Battalion multinational Staff supporting the CBRN capability. The battalion will conduct periodic training throughout the year and will reach Final Operational Capability for NATO operations in Jul 2004. Programme for journalists on Wednesday 3 December 2003
Information for journalists: Accreditation of journalists and press staffs must be reported to the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, Mr. Peter Fuzák, tel. 420 973 200 142, fax 420 973 200 149, e-mail: press.service@army.cz not later than 28 Nov 2003. If required, a bus for journalists from Prague to Liberec can be arranged. For further information on events in Brussels, telephone the NATO press
office on +322 707 5035. Further information on the CBRN battalion can
be seen on the NATO website on www.nato.int. |
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