During the first session of the Reunion of the Council of General Affairs and External Relations (CAGRE) in European Union Defense Ministers format, in Brussels, they analyzed the operations and missions developed by the European Union in different regions of the world.

The military operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina EUFOR ALTHEA, military missions in Chad and Central African Republic, the EU civilian mission in Afghanistan and the EU future civilian mission in Kosovo were the main topics approached in this frame.

The talks of the first working session were focused on the EU military capability (planning capacity and state of the Catalogue of Progress in this domain) and on the European Defense Agency (EDA)-aspects of the present and future agenda.

They re-iterated the fact that Romania will maintain its participation with forces in EUFOR-ALTHEA operation and in NATO led mission in Kosovo, KFOR. In this respect, Minister Melescanu stated that our country analyzes the possibility to participate in a possible EU civilian operation, according to the evolution of Kosovo region status.

As regarding the military mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (the third EU autonomous military mission in the last four years) Minister Melescanu stated that we are training for participation in this operation with a Company and staff officers. Teodor Melescanu underlined the humanitarian dimension of the mission and we are analyzing the special logistic difficulties it imposes.
EU-NATO relation was another topic on the Defense Ministers agenda and they appreciated it as a very tight one, the two structures having a close cooperation not only at political level but in terrain, too in operations as those in the Western Balkans and Afghanistan.

The Defense Ministers approved, during the Reunion, the budget of the European Defense Agency and the general strategic frame for defense research and technology.

The European Conference on Security (ESC 07) will occur within CAGRE Reunion, too and Minister Teodor Melescanu will deliver a speech on The Impact of the Treaty of Reform on the EU Security. The Defense Minister, Teodor Melescanu will participate between November 19 and 20 in CAGRE Reunion in the EU Defense Ministers format and the European Conference of Security, in Brussels.

MoD Press Office