Afghanistan on agenda as NATO meeting begins

KABUL-Russia cooperation will top the agenda of a two-day NATO defence ministerial beginning Tuesday in Brussels.

In the first working session devoted to capabilities, the defence ministers will also discuss cyber defence, NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence system and review NATO reforms.

The ministers will also assess progress made in the over 20 Smart Defence projects launched at the Chicago Summit last year.

A second working session on Tuesday will consider the next step in the Alliance’s Connected Forces Initiative, with a focus on NATO’s training, education mission in Afghanistan in 2014.

A NATO-Russia Council will start off the second day of the ministerial on Wednesday. The Council is to focus on ways to build on the positive practical military and defence cooperation achieved so far.

 The NATO ministers, with Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu, will also discuss pressing international security issues, including Syria.

Afghan Defence Minister Bismullah Mohammadi Khan, European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and UN Secretary General’s Special representative Jan Kubis are expected to attend the meeting.

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