NATO Lisbon Summit

BY ERIKA WIDEN

LISBON: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is to proclaim a new mission statement in Lisbon, Portugal during its two-day summit starting today.

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev among other leaders will participate in the summit.

A new strategic concept is expected to be endorsed by the Alliance heads of state and government. The concept will reaffirm the core task of territorial defence, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, and it would also “create the framework for a modernised and renewed Nato”.

Lisbon will be one of the most relevant summits in Nato’s history since the decisions that the Allies are expected to take during the summit will ensure that Nato becomes more effective, engaged and efficient than ever before.

“More effective because Nato will invest in key capabilities like missile defence, cyber-defence and long-range transport. More engaged because Nato will reach out to connect with our partners around the globe, countries and other organisations. And more efficient because we are cutting fat, even as we invest in muscle, for example by slimming down our command structure by about 4,000 personnel”, the secretary general said.

“All of that will be enshrined in the new strategic concept. It will guide the Alliance for the next decade”.

Moreover, the summit will determine a new phase in Nato’s operations in Afghanistan, as the Allies will launch the process by which the Afghan government will take the lead for security throughout the nation, which is anticipated to commence by the beginning of next year with the objective of completing the process by 2014.

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