27 Apr. 2006

Sofia a building block for Riga, says Secretary General Opinion 25/04/06 - NATO Transcipt of the briefing to journalists by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Event Schedule of events of the Informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, Sofia, Bulgaria, 27-28 April Multimedia Audio file of the background briefing by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, on the upcoming ministerial meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria (.MP3/19089Kb) Briefing reporters on the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Sofia, 27-28 April, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the meeting will shape the subjects that will be discussed at the Riga Summit in November. The Secretary General highlighted NATO’s partnerships, enlargement and a new training initiative as some of the key issues that will be discussed. Informal discussions “NATO has to give the answers of the 21 st century to questions which present themselves in this 21 st century,” said Mr. De Hoop Scheffer. “How can we make our partnerships stronger, how can we enhance and get in better touch with those nations who are not in NATO’s partnership structures,.. let me mention Australia ,.. New Zealand ,” the Secretary General said. “This is not making NATO into a global Alliance, but it is making NATO into an Alliance with global partners, because the threats and challenges are of a global nature, ” Mr. De Hoop Scheffer stressed. Sofia will also be “the start of a discussion” on the next round of NATO enlargement, and a new training intiative for interested partners in the Middle East, the Secretary General said. Issues such as the Middle East and Iran could be raised at an informal “Transatlantic dinner” that will bring together NATO and EU Foreign Ministers, hosted by the Bulgarian Foreign Minsiter. The Secretary General also said that Ministers will discuss the political aspects of NATO’s operations and mission in Afghanistan, Darfur and Kosovo.