30 Sept. 2002

Discussing the future of NATO-Mediterranean relations From the event: Full story Papers, speeches & photos More information Agenda Press Release NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue NATO Prague Summit Future prospects for relations between NATO and its Mediterranean partner countries were the focus of an international conference held at the Italian Parliament in Rome on 30 September. The conference presented an opportunity for NATO ambassadors and senior NATO officials to meet with ambassadors, parliamentarians and academics from the seven Mediterranean Dialogue partner countries and exchange views on ways of enhancing cooperation. “As I have said on previous occasions, the Mediterranean region matters to the Alliance. It always has mattered -- and it matters even more now than it has ever done in the past. And that is why we want to enhance our Mediterranean Dialogue,” said NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson in his keynote address. The Alliance will consider how to further enhance NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue at the Summit meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government in Prague on 21 and 22 November. The Mediterranean Dialogue was launched in December 1994 and includes seven non-NATO nations in the region: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. Its primary focus is on bilateral and multilateral consultations on select issues of interest to NATO and the Dialogue countries. The conference was organised by the Italian Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in cooperation with the NATO Office of Information and Press and Istituto Affari Internazionali. Additional information: Agenda Press Release (2002)111 : NATO Permanent Representatives and NATO Secretary General to visit Italy - 27 Sep. 2002 NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue NATO Prague Summit