NATO Chief visits Kosovo

On 30 November 2007, NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid a short visit to Kosovo and met first with COMKFOR, General Xavier de Marnhac to assess the security environment.

Estonian Defence Minister visits Allied Command Transformation

Mr. Jaak Aaviksoo, Minister of Defence for Estonia, visited Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Headquarters on 27 November. During the visit, Aaviksoo met with Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Gen. James Mattis, and discussed the important relationship ACT shares with Estonia. They particularly considered the added value Estonia can bring in the field of cyber defence.

Visit to NATO of Acting President of Georgia

The Acting President of Georgia, Mrs Nino Burjanadze, visited NATO Headquarters on Wednesday 28 November 2007. She met with the Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

NATO’s Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee meets in Romania

The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, within the Romanian Ministry of the Interior and Administrative Reform, is hosting the biannual Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee (SCEPC) plenary session in Poiana Brasov, Romania on 28-29 November 2007.

NATO Secretary General speaks with young leaders on the GLOBSEC Express

On a unique train called the “GLOBSEC Express”, young leaders from the Balkans and central Europe discussed the future of the Balkans while they travelled from Bratislava, Slovakia to Zagreb, Croatia on 26-27 November 2007.

NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Morocco

The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, and the Moroccan Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Omar Hilale, opened a two-day seminar in Rabat on 26 November 2007.  

Dutch ISAF helicopters track insurgents in Afghanistan

The following short video clips demonstrate how insurgent extremists in Afghanistan deliberately blend with the civilian population by adopting civilian clothing and mixing with children. These clips underscore the operational challenges for the Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF.

NATO Secretary General visits Afghanistan

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR), General John Craddock, visited Afghanistan on 22-23 November.  They met with President Karzai and senior ISAF Commanders in Kabul and across the country.

Second Ukrainian ship supports Operation Active Endeavour

A Ukrainian corvette, the Lutsk, has deployed in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime counter-terrorist operation in the Mediterranean, from 24 November through to 11 December.

Afghan stories: Danish tanks arrive in Afghanistan

NATO is pleased to offer clips from imagery available from countries contributing to NATO's Afghanistan mission (ISAF). The following clip shows the logistics and procedures involved in deploying a Danish tank platoon to Afghanistan.

Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the elections in Kosovo

I welcome the calm and peaceful conduct of this weekend’s elections in Kosovo and the assessment of the Council of Europe observers that the voting was in compliance with international standards.

More...

OSCE chairman visits NATO

The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Mr. Miguel Moratinos, visited NATO Headquarters today, Monday 19 November 2007 and met with the Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and with the North Atlantic Council.

Iraqi Foreign Minister visits NATO

The Foreign Minister of Iraq, Mr. Hoshyar Zebari, visited NATO Headquarters today, 19th November 2007. He met with the Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Members of the Arab Media Forum visit NATO Headquarters

On 19-20 November the NATO Public Diplomacy Division organised a two-day meeting at NATO Headquarters for the editors-in-chief and senior journalists from countries taking part in the Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, as well as, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

NATO Member and Partner Chiefs of Defence conclude meetings

Top military officers of NATO nations today concluded two days of discussions and exchanges at NATO Headquarters on a wide range of military-related issues. This is the third of three annual meetings at Chiefs of Staff level.

New Chairman of the Military Committee elected

NATO’s 26 Chiefs of Defense voted in private session today for a new Chairman of the Military Committee. Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, Chief of the Italian Defense Staff, a naval officer, received a majority of votes. His term of office, normally three years, is expected to start in June 2008.

Non-governmental organizations seek to support Ukrainian reforms

Representatives of 24 Ukrainian and 11 international non-governmental organizations met in Kyiv on 13 and 14 November for a series of roundtable discussions and workshops. The aim was to explore how they could contribute to addressing important issues in the areas of national security and monitoring of reforms in Ukraine.

New emergency medical facility opens in eastern Afghanistan

Service members of the NATO-led Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, cooperating with Afghan government officials and NGO workers, officially opened the new Ghazni Provincial Hospital emergency facility. The project not only expands emergency care, but also allows for the hospital to provide full-spectrum health care, such as pregnancy and birth services.

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs visits NATO

The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre,  visited NATO Headquarters on 13 November 2007. 

Senior Academics from the United Arab Emirates visit NATO HQ

On 13 November 2007, the NATO Public Diplomacy Division organised, in the context of the public diplomacy activities for the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, a visit to NATO Headquarters of senior academics from the United Arab Emirates University.

NATO envoy visits Uzbekistan

The Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Robert F. Simmons, paid a working visit to Uzbekistan on 12 November.

South East Europe recognized as a contributor to security

On 12 November, Ambassadors of the South East Europe Security Cooperation Steering Group (SEEGROUP) endorsed a document in which South East Europe is recognized as a “contributor to security and stability”.

Afghan Parliamentarians visit NATO Headquarters

On 12 November 2007, a group of representatives of the Lower and Upper Houses of the Afghan National Assembly visited NATO Headquarters.

Change of NATO's transformation commander

US Marine Corps General James Mattis became NATO’s third Supreme Allied Commander Transformation during a ceremony held aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington on 9 November. He took over command from US Air Force General Lance Smith.

NATO Virtual Silk Highway in Afghanistan

Through high-speed Internet access via the NATO Virtual Silk Highway Project, the Kabul academic community can now make use of the latest tools and technologies to provide young Afghan men and women with a better standard of education, and ultimately a better future.

NATO Secretary General in Sweden for talks

©Photo: Pawel Flato / Swedish Government Office

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer met Swedish Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors in Stockholm on 9 November.

NATO Secretary General visits Finland

The NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer met with Finnish authorities on a one day visit to Helsinki on 8 November to discuss Finland’s steadfast commitment to NATO operations.

Seven villages in Afghanistan get access to fresh water

Thanks to the co-operation of the Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team Pol-e Khumri and ISAF Regional Command North, the population of seven villages in Dahana Ghori District, Baghlan province, now has access to pure drinking water.

Statement by the Secretary General on the situation in Georgia

NATO is following closely and with concern events in Georgia. I have asked NATO's Special Representative for the Caucasus, Ambassador Robert Simmons, to express to the Georgian Foreign Minister the Alliance's view that all parties must exercise restraint, avoid violence and act within the law. 

New multinational engineering unit formed

A ceremony to mark the formation of a deployable multinational engineering unit was held NATO HQ in conjunction with the meeting of the Senior NATO Logisticians Conference (SNLC) on 7 November 2007. 

President of Turkmenistan visits NATO

The President of the Republic of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov visited NATO Headquarters and met with Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on 7 November.

NATO holds bilateral talks on Bosnia and Herzegovina

The High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Miroslav Lajčak, visited NATO Headquarters on 7 November and met with Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Change of Command at NATO's maritime command

Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, Commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood formally handed over command to Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope during a change of command ceremony at NATO's maritime headquarters in Northwood, United Kingdom, 6 November.

Statement by the Secretary General on the bombing in Afghanistan

On behalf of all NATO Allies, I condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s bombing in Baghlan province, Afghanistan, which killed scores of innocent Afghans, including children, lawmakers and police.

NATO Secretary General meets the Members of Parliament from Bahrain

On 5 November the NATO Public Diplomacy Division organised a visit to NATO HQ of high-level parliamentarians from the House of Deputies and from the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Bahrain.