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Updated: 12-Jun-2002 Week of 3-9 June 2002

6-7 June 2002

Meetings of NATO Defence Ministers

Following the meetings of Foreign Ministers in Reykjavik, 14-15 May, and the NATO-Russia Summit in Rome, 28 May, Defence Ministers from NATO and Partner countries are meeting at NATO HQ on 6-7 June. High on the agenda for Alliance Ministers will be:

  • Preparation of a new capabilities initiative, to be launched at the Prague Summit, based on firm national commitments and focused on a small number of essential military capabilities; the new initiative will strengthen NATO's ability to defend against terrorism and to respond to the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction as well as to conduct all its missions more effectively;

  • Work on a package of measures to be ready for Prague to improve NATO's contribution to the fight against terrorism; the package will include a new military concept for defence against terrorism which will guide the development of more detailed policies and doctrines and, as appropriate, the adaptation of Alliance structures and capabilities to meet this threat;

  • The possibility of further changes to the Alliance's command structure which would also be considered at the Summit, taking into account changes in US command arrangements;

  • Possible changes to the structure and size of SFOR and KFOR as a result of a review (the Joint Operations Area Review) commissioned at the last meeting of Defence Ministers;

  • For the Allies taking part in the Alliance's collective defence planning system, adoption of the 2002 Force Goals.

  • The defence aspects of enlargement.

There will also be a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, which will look into the defence aspects of the NATO-Russia Work Programme approved in Rome, of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). During the meeting of the EAPC, NATO and Partner Defence Ministers will consider the revitalisation and redirection of NATO's partnerships. This will include the need to discuss the future of the EAPC, as well as its role in the fight against terrorism and in the Balkans.

NATO Defence Ministers will first meet on 6 June, within the Defence Planning Group, the Nuclear Planning Group and the North Atlantic Council (NAC-D). These meetings will be followed by a first meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Defence Ministers and on 7 June, by meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.

Additional information: