Press Release M-EAPC- 2(97)151 3 Dec. 1997

Chairman's Summary of the Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Defence Ministers Session Defence Ministers and representatives of NATO Allies and Cooperation Partner nations met today in Brussels for the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in Defence Ministers Session. Ministers considered the Comprehensive Progress Report on Implementation of the EAPC Basic Document and on PfP Enhancement. Significant progress has been achieved on a wide range of initiatives agreed at Sintra in May of this year to strengthen the Partnership. Examples covered in this report include the decisions to establish PfP Staff Elements at selected NATO headquarters, the beginning of work on a political-military framework for NATO-led PfP operations and the continuing broadening and deepening of the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP). All of these efforts are aimed at further increasing Partner involvement in planning and executing PfP activities and exercises. The expanded scope of consultations under the EAPC was reflected in the agenda of today's meeting. For example Ministers exchanged views among other matters on defence aspects of environmental security and international terrorism and related issues. Ministers also reviewed cooperation in SFOR over the last twelve months, to which fifteen Partner nations contribute, and exchanged views on future prospects in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They looked forward to the meeting of the Peace Implementation Council in Bonn on 9/10 December and expressed their determination that the Dayton Peace Agreement should be implemented in all its aspects. Ministers were briefed on the status of work within the Alliance on efforts against proliferation of NBC weapons and their delivery means by the Chairmen of the Joint Committee, the Senior Politico-Military Group, and the Senior Defence Group on Proliferation.