24 July 2000	Strengthening European security and defence The first meetings of the NATO-EU Ad Hoc Working Groups are taking place this week (24, 26 and 28 July) in Brussels, as a consequence of decisions taken by both organisations to work together on the development of an EU military crisis response capability. The three meetings are dealing with security issues, in particular work on permanent NATO-EU security arrangements; arrangements for EU access to NATO assets for operations in which the Alliance as a whole is not engaged militarily; and capability goals in the context of the EU Helsinki decision on military capabilities for Petersberg tasks. A fourth Ad Hoc Working Group will meet in September to discuss permanent consultation arrangements between the two organisations. These meetings are part of the efforts NATO and the EU are currently undertaking with a view to strengthening European security and defence, based on the decisions taken at the April 1999 NATO Washington Summit and subsequent Ministerial meetings and the December 1999 Helsinki and June 2000 Feira European Council meetings respectively. It was at the Feira meeting that the creation of the Ad Hoc Working Groups was proposed by the EU.
24 July 2000	Last meetings before Summer break NATO's highest decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, which brings together Permanent Representatives from the 19 member countries and the Secretary General, Lord Robertson, met for the last time before the Summer break on 24 July. Their main topics of discussion were EU issues, the situation in the Balkans and the building of new headquarters for the Alliance. On the same day, the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council also convened. Colonel-General Valery Manilov, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces briefed Ambassadors on Russia's military doctrine, explaining different points while giving Russia's perception of NATO's strategic concept. NATO-Russia cooperation in Kosovo and the general situation in the former Yugoslavia were also discussed. The next PJC meeting is planned for 20 September 2000.
24 July 2000	Seminar in the framework of NATO’s security cooperation programme with Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted by the Norwegian Defence International Centre in Sessvollmoen, Norway.