Press Release (2004)115 30 July 2004

Statement by the Secretary General of NATO on NATO assistance to Iraq News 13/07/2004 - NATO First visit to NATO by Iraqi Foreign Minister 29/06/2004 - NATO Alliance to support Iraq with troop training 22/06/2004 - NATO Iraqi government requests assistance from NATO Background NATO and Iraq Opinions 30/07/2004 - NATO Press point by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Multimedia 30/07/2004 - NATO High resolution photos of the press point 30/07/2004 - NATO Audio file of the press point (MP3/2637kb) Today, the North Atlantic Council reached agreement on the establishment of a NATO Training Implementation Mission in Iraq. This Mission’s tasks will include: establishing appropriate liaison arrangements with the Iraqi Interim Government and the Multinational Force; working closely with the Iraqi authorities to help them develop their structures, in particular in the Ministry of Defense and Military HQ. This will include the immediate start of training for selected Iraqi headquarters personnel in Iraq; helping to identify Iraqi personnel for training outside of Iraq; and working closely with the Iraqi Interim Government and the Multinational Force to develop, on an urgent basis, more detailed proposals for NATO training, advice and cooperation, and report to the Council in this regard by 15 September 2004. NATO will also start training, beginning in August, selected Iraqi personnel outside of Iraq, and develop a role in co-ordinating national offers of equipment and training. The Training Implementation Mission will be a distinct mission, under the political control of the NAC. It will be closely co-ordinated with the Multinational Force. I will propose these arrangements to the Iraqi Government as a matter of urgency. These decisions reflect NATO’s commitment to implement as quickly as possible the decisions taken in Istanbul. Through this assistance, the Alliance is contributing substantially to the goal shared by the entire international community: to help Iraq provide for its own peace and security.

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