Ministers Vukelic and Jandrokovic on NATO meetings in Brussels

Since foreign ministers of NATO member states were in Brussels at the same time, a joint meeting of defence and foreign ministers was organized, where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration was represented by Minster Gordan Jandrokovic, and the Ministry Defence by Minister Branko Vukelic.

At a meeting of defence ministers discussion was on some of the most important issues currently in NATO. The results of the Group of Senior Officials were presented, who proposed the transformation of the NATO command structure. The proposal, endorsed by the ministers, shows much smaller and cheaper, but more flexible and efficient command structure that would easily fit the increasingly complex demands of coping with security threats.

Also, the ministers, after discussion, adopted the draft reform of NATO agencies, which suggests a much smaller number of agencies, as well as their simpler organization, with increased efficiency and transparency.

The need to improve capabilities needed to face new security challenges was also discussed at the meeting. The harmonized development of new capabilities will be presented to the heads of states or governments at the next NATO Summit in Lisbon in November 2010.

They also discussed the political guidelines for improving NATO capabilities in stabilization and reconstruction, as well as the progress in the NATO reform of resource management.

The foreign and defence ministers of NATO member states discussed at the joint meeting the proposed new Strategic Concept, drafted by NATO Secretary General. Discussion focused on key questions of the future Alliance functioning as described in the concept. It is planned that the new concept will be adopted at the NATO Summit in Lisbon as well. In addition, they also discussed the issue of missile defence in order to create preconditions for a decision on the NATO Summit in Lisbon.