A MoD delegation headed by Corneliu Dobritoiu, State Secretary and chief of Department for Policy of Defense and Planning will participate to the Reunion of Defense Ministers from the SEDM member states, in Tirana, Albania between September 26 and 27, 2006.

The Reunion will evaluate the SEDM projects and the activities for this year of the Political-Military Director Board, the actions fulfilled for the development of the cooperation between SEDM and the UE Pact of Stability, the stage of NATO and UE operations in Afghanistan and the Southeastern Europe and the support granted for integration to the states willing to become NATO members.

They will also approve the SEEBRIG budget and training plans for the year to come and will analyze the activity and the lessons learnt by this Unit in the mission in Afghanistan under the UN mandate and the NATO operational conduct. 233 Romanian military from the SEEBRIG Command and two support sub-units participated between February and August 2006 in ISAF.

The SEDM initiative was launched in March 1996 and aimed the promotion of the regional cooperation and good neighborhood relations, the increase of defensive capability and cooperation through the collective efforts and the processes of integration within the Euro-Atlantic institutions. The SEDM participating states are Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, the former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Ukraine (since December 2005) and Turkey. Croatia, Slovenia and the United States are participating as observers, in the political and military consultations.

The Presidency of the Committee of Coordination of the Process of Reunions of the Southeastern Europe Defense Ministers and the Political Military Director Board and the SEEBRIG command are ensured for two years, by rotation, by each of the signing country. Since July 2005, the SEDM political military presidency is hold by Albania and the SEEBRIG military command by Bulgaria. Starting the summer of 2003 the SEEBRIG Command is for four years in Constanta, Romania.

State Secretary Dobritoiu will meet in Tirana the Albanese Minister of Defense, Fatmir Mediu and they will have talks on the Romanian expertise gained during the process of integration in the North Atlantic Alliance, the reform of the armed forces, the bilateral military cooperation and the participation in the international campaign against terrorism.

MoD Press Office