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| Updated: 19-Jun-2003 | June 2003 |
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Allied Commanders meet at SHAPE
NATO’s top operational commanders discussed the transformation of NATO’s military structure, its current and future and missions at the Alliance’s European military headquarters in Mons, Belgium, 17-18 June. The "Allied Command Europe Commanders Conference" was hosted by General James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) at SHAPE with NATO’s top operational commanders taking part. This was the first NATO commanders’ conference following the approval by Defence Ministers on 12 June of the new NATO military structure. Under the new command structure all NATO operations will be under the control of one strategic command, the new Allied Command Operations, which will be based at SHAPE, under the command of SACEUR. The SACEUR will continue to be dual-hatted as Commander US European Command. The commanders discussed NATO-EU cooperation, particularly in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1), the implementation of NATO’s new command structure, and the creation of the NATO Response Force. They also talked about key upcoming NATO missions, the take over of the command of the Afghanistan peacekeeping force ISAF this August, and assistance to Poland in its planned Iraq mission. “We have done quite a bit of work to begin the transformation of NATO going to a capabilities-based force from a threat-based force that was useful to us in the 20th century,” General Jones told reporters at a press conference. Also briefing the press were the Deputy SACEUR, Admiral Rainer Feist, the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe, General Sir Jack Deverell, and the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe, Admiral Gregory G. Johnson. Additional information:
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