NATO's Stoltenberg says Manchester attack to be tackled at leaders' meeting

Record ID: 876785

  • Title: NATO's Stoltenberg says Manchester attack to be tackled at leaders' meeting
  • Date: 24th May 2017
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MAY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) NATO EVENT BANNER WITH ROMANIAN FLAG NEW NATO BUILDING VIEWED FROM BEHIND FENCE FLAGS OF NATO MEMBERS JOURNALISTS INSIDE NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL STOLTENBERG ENTERING ROOM STOLTENBERG IN NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, JENS STOLTENBERG SAYING: "The attacks we saw in Manchester will be something which will be addressed, I think actually by all leaders in one way or another, because the attacks were brutal and they deliberately targeted children, young people and families." (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, JENS STOLTENBERG SAYING: "NATO plays a role in the fight against terrorism in many different ways. We are supporting already the global coalition to defeat ISIS. Many allies would like to see NATO as a full member of the coalition for two reasons: partly because it sends a strong and clear message of unity in the fight against terrorism and especially in light of the terrorist attacks in Manchester, I think it's important that we send this unified message, of, that we stand together in the fight against terrorism." JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, JENS STOLTENBERG SAYING: "The other major topic for our meeting is burden sharing. This means meeting the pledge that we all made in 2014 to stop the cuts, gradually increase, and move towards spending 2 percent of GDP on defense within a decade. And we are making progress. After many years of decline, total defence spending by European allies and Canada rose by billions of dollars last year. But burden sharing is not just about spending, it is also about capabilities and contributions to NATO missions, operations and other engagements." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, JENS STOLTENBERG SAYING: "I welcome yesterday's U.S. budget proposal to significantly further increase the U.S. presence in Europe with more troops, infrastructure and exercises. I welcome this strong sign of U.S. continued commitment to NATO and to European security. NATO is adapting to deter any possible aggression and preserve the peace. At the same time, we have delivered on our commitment to dialogue with Russia, with four meetings of the NATO-Russia Council in the last year. So we are delivering on both tracks of defence and dialogue." NATO BUILDING AND FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 7th June 2017 12:29
  • Keywords: Europe alliance Stoltenberg U.S. Trump security NATO
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: NATO,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016I76T6V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The NATO meeting on Thursday (May 25) will see ribbon cutting, memorial unveiling and allied jets flying overhead, choreographed to impress the US President Donald Trump who once called the bloc "obsolete" because it was not "taking care of terror".
    The meeting is set to take place at the 1.1 billion-euro ($1.2 billion) NATO headquarters where Trump, a New Yorker, will unveil a memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Members hope this will remind Trump of NATO's help during that period of time.
    On Wednesday (May 24), NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the global response to terrorism, in the light of the attacks in Manchester that killed 22 people, will be discussed in the leaders' meeting.
    He said burden-sharing between NATO members will also be tackled, with Trump due to hear that each ally will present a plan by the end of the year explaining how they will reach a 2014 goal to spend 2 percent of economic output on defense every year by 2024.
    By current standards, Washington funds about 70 percent of NATO spending, although all countries share the costs of running the alliance's day-to-day administration and building costs.
    Stoltenberg welcomed the U.S. budget proposal which includes an increase of U.S. troops and exercises in Europe.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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