23 Jul 2007

NATO Secretary General visits United Kingdom

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid a visit to London on 23 July to meet Gordon Brown in his new role as Prime Minister.

Their discussions focused primarily on the NATO-ISAF operation in Afghanistan.  Prime Minister Brown reconfirmed the UK's enduring commitment to the mission, and both he and the Secretary General stressed the need to strengthen the international civilian and economic effort, to complement military operations.

The Secretary General also met with Defence Minister Des Browne, where discussions also focused on Afghanistan, but also touched on a number of other important issues, including defence transformation in NATO. 

Lord Malloch Brown, Minister for Africa and the United Nations, and Permanent Undersecretary Sir Peter Rickets, also met with the Secretary General.