9 Oct. 2002

48th General Assembly of the ATA The Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) met in Istanbul for its 48th General Assembly, 9-12 October. This year's meeting focused on "The Trans-Atlantic link and the new strategic environment - what lies ahead for NATO". The event consisted of a plenary session and committee meetings during which issues such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, new capabilities and the role of defence industries, NATO enlargement, European defence, and security and defence teaching in education were discussed. The meeting was attended by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer of Turkey, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Dr Sükrü Sina Gürel, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Dr Solomon Passy, and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Joseph Ralston. The attendees also received a message from NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson, setting out NATO's tasks at the Prague Summit. The ATA is a group of voluntary organisations which promote Alliance objectives in member and partner countries. It is composed of members (from NATO countries) and associate members (from partner countries).