First visit of a NATO Secretary General to Mauritania
On July 14th, the Secretary General paid an official visit to Mauritania. This was the first ever such visit by a NATO Secretary General.
Mr de Hoop Scheffer held discussions with President Maaouya Ould Sid, Ahmed Taya and other Cabinet members on security issues of common concern. The discussions centred on two issues: first, how to continue and deepen the cooperation between NATO and Mauritania, including in such areas as joint training and defence reform; and second, how the international community can most effectively work together to defend against terrorism.
This visit was the sixth that the Secretary General has made to countries participating in NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue; he will visit Egypt in the autumn. These visits aim to take forward the reinforcement of the political and practical dimensions of the ten-year old Dialogue, to build stronger bridges of trust, dialogue and cooperation across the Mediterranean.
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