8 Dec. 2004

NATO Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels Events Programme of the Foreign Ministers meeting at NATO HQ on 8 and 9 December 2004 Background NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue & Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Foreign Ministers from the 26 NATO countries are meeting in Brussels on 8 and 9 December to discuss key security challenges, enhance operations and deepen partnerships. This will be the first meeting of Foreign Ministers since the NATO Istanbul Summit in June. It will provide an opportunity for Ministers to review progress in implementing the decisions made by Heads of State and Government at the Summit. This includes enhancing NATO’s operations, improving capabilities and expanding cooperation with partners. Ministers are expected to discuss further expanding NATO’s presence in Afghanistan, NATO’s assistance to Iraq and the situation in Kosovo. Expanding cooperation The first Ministerial level meeting of NATO and the seven countries from the Alliance's Mediterranean Dialogue will also be held, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Dialogue at a working dinner on 8 December. During the event, Ministers are expected to discuss the follow-up to the decisions taken at the Istanbul Summit for a more ambitious and expanded framework for this Dialogue. A meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Foreign Ministers will also be held and is expected to focus on NATO-Russia cooperation in the fight against terrorism. In the current circumstances, NATO has the decided to postpone until a later date the Ministerial level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission. This decision has been met with understanding in Kyiv.