SEEBRIG achieved the level required for participation in the international missions mentioned State Secretary Corneliu Dobritoiu during the works of the Defense Ministers from SEDM members, in Tirana, Albania, between September 26 and 27, 2006. The SEEBRIG deployment in Afghanistan is the proof that the Southeastern European states can effectively cooperate for the common interests being the suppliers of security added Dobritoiu.

In this context, they stated the decision Romania took for the active participation within the initiative and its support granted to all the countries wishing to join the Euro-Atlantic structures, starting from the premises that the SEEBRIG is an adequate exercise for a good cooperation in maintaining and ensuring the regional stability and security.

The SEDM reunion approved the receive in the SEDM process, as observers, the four new members: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro and Serbia. Also, the Defense Ministers from the Soth Eastern Europe congratulated Romania and Bulgaria for the join of the European Union starting January 1, 2007.

State Secretary Dobritoiu addressed the Italian delegation condolences for the death of the ISAF military, yesterday, in the attack against a NATO convoy in Kabul, the Afghani capital.

The SEDM initiative was launched in March 1996 aiming the promotion of the regional cooperation and the good relations, increase of defensive capacity and cooperation through collective efforts and the process 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. As observers in the political and military consultations are Croatia, Slovenia and the United States.

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

MoD Press Office