Introductory remarks by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the Signing ceremony and Exchange of letters on Russia’s support to Operation Active Endeavour during the Meeting of the NATO-Russia Council

Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Dobriy dyen’. Bonjour.

Before we begin our formal meeting, Ambassador Totskiy and I will sign an exchange of letters establishing modalities for Russia’s support to NATO’s Operation Active Endeavour.

This operation, carried out under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, aims to deter, defend against and disrupt terrorist activity through maritime operations in the Mediterranean. Russian support to the operation was agreed in principle by NRC Foreign Ministers when we last met in this format in Istanbul last June, and today’s agreement represents a further concrete step forward in our efforts to develop practical, concrete NATO-Russia action against shared threats to our security.

(Ambassador Totskiy’s speech)

Thank you. This brings us to the opening of our formal meeting.