BELGIUM: NATO defence ministers gather for a meeting in Brussels with the future of Afghanistan high on the agenda whilst the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen calls for continued investment in defence despite the economic crisis

Record ID: 863601

  • Title: BELGIUM: NATO defence ministers gather for a meeting in Brussels with the future of Afghanistan high on the agenda whilst the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen calls for continued investment in defence despite the economic crisis
  • Date: 10th October 2012
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 9, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF NATO BUILDING NATO STAFF SETTING UP PODIUM FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER JEAN-YVES LE DRIAN ARRIVING TURKISH DEFENCE MINISTER ISMET YILMAZ ENTERING MEETING
  • Embargoed: 25th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVADCQYTXKNRXZ7WSQ2XPA6VASAI
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  • Story Text: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for continued investment in defence despite the euro crisis as defence ministers gathered in Brussels on Tuesday (October 9) for a meeting to discuss the future of Afghanistan.
    NATO defence ministers will pave the way this week for the alliance's training mission in Afghanistan once itcombat operations in 2014, as a surge in insider attacks raises questions about its timetable and strategy.
    The ministers, meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday, are set to approve the broad framework for the post-2014 mission.
    The talks will give the go-ahead to military experts to begin detailed planning for the mission, which was endorsed by NATO leaders at their Chicago summit in May. But officials say it is too early to expect any details about the number of troops that will be needed for the mission or how much it will cost.
    Western countries are keen to show their commitment to supporting Afghanistan will run beyond 2014 and to counter any suggestion they are running for the exit after a grinding 11-year conflict that has cost more than 2,000 U.S. lives and billions of dollars.
    As the meeting started, Rasmussen said he understood that European countries were struggling to reduce spending, but that they should continue to invest more in the defence field.
    "NATO nations need to continue investing in their defence, there is no alternative. We recognise it might be hard to find fresh resources for defence while nations take the necessary steps to reduce their deficits and debts. But we mustn't overlook that security is the foundation of prosperity," he said.
    The Syria conflict is not on the agenda for this week's meeting but the risk of an escalating confrontation between Syria and neighbouring Turkey, a NATO member, will be on ministers' minds and they can raise any issue.
    NATO ambassadors threw their support behind Turkey after an emergency meeting on the situation at NATO last week and Rasmussen said earlier in the day that NATO had all necessary plans to protect Turkey. Turkish forces have now retaliated for six consecutive days against bombardment from northern Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad's forces are battling rebels.
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