Day two of the Joint Meeting was chaired by Mr Michael R. Turner (United States), Chairperson of the Defence and Security Committee. Welcome remarks to the event’s participants were given by H.E. Mr Pascal Heyman, Permanent Representative of Belgium to NATO, voicing his full satisfaction with participation in the work and having the opportunity to exchange opinions on significant issues from the field of security and defence with the delegates of the NATO PA member states.
This was followed by the special part of the Joint Meeting moderated by congressman Mr Gerald E. Connolly, head of the US Delegation, which was opened with remarks by Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom), President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. She pointed out the significance of the issues on the agenda, but also joint efforts in creating a secure global environment.
The meeting was continued with the address by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Ms Nancy Pelosi.
NATO Representative Mr Camille Grand, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, spoke on the topic “A Focus on Capabilities in the Era of Greater Burden Sharing”. He pointed out the significance of the said issue and the awareness of member states about the significance of timely and permanent investment in defence. In that context, he referred to the issue of solidarity and equal burden sharing among all elements of the system.
This was followed by the presentation by Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, on “The EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation on Security and Defence (PESCO) and the Future of NATO-EU Relations”.
The continuation of the meeting, with the same chair, was marked by the fourth session, during which the delegates were addressed by NATO representative Mr John Manza, Assistant Secretary General for Operations, with his presentation on “NATO’s Current Operations“. He presented to the participants NATO’s current activities, with reference to the most significant results achieved in the previous period, current challenges, and plans for the upcoming period.
Within the next session, chaired by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (United Kingdom), Chairperson of the Political Committee, there was an ambassadorial panel discussion on “NATO @70 and the Future of the Alliance”. The NATO PA delegates were addressed by Mr Zoltan Nagy, Permanent Representative of Hungary to NATO, Ms Sarah MacIntosh, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to NATO, and Mr Douglas D. Jones, Deputy Permanent Representative and Deputy Chief of Mission, US Mission to NATO.
Mr Obrad Mišo Stanišić, Head of the Permanent delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro to the NATO PA, and member Mr Genci Nimanbegu are participating in the work of the Joint Meeting of the Defence and Security Committee, Economics and Security Committee, Political Committee and officers of the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security, and Science and Technology Committee.
The Joint Meeting is to be continued tomorrow.
