3 June 2002

NATO course in Bled, Slovenia A civil emergency planning (CEP) and civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) course is being held near Bled in Slovenia, 3-7 June. Conducted at the Defence Training Centre Poljce, it aims to introduce participants to organisational and functional aspects of CEP and CIMIC principles and procedures. Participants from NATO and partner countries will have the opportunity to exchange information on these issues and acquire a better understanding of regional aspects of CEP activities and CIMIC conducted within the general framework of NATO's strategic concept. They are first being given a background briefing on the evolution of NATO's role, policies and strategic concept, and are then being briefed on a series of issues, including civil emergency planning at NATO, crisis management, civil protection against the effects of chemical, biological and radiological agents, health protection, security of food supply, rescue operations and many other aspects directly related to civil emergency situations and civil-military cooperation within the Euro-Atlantic area. As well as cooperation between NATO and Partner country participants, the course is also covering cooperation between NATO, other international organisations and national contributors. In this instance, the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of the Slovenian Ministry of Defence is participating. This course is the fourteenth of its kind. The next one is scheduled for Autumn 2002 in Turkmenistan.