The Defense Minister, Teodor Melescanu and the Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Ph.D. Gheorghe Marin met NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in official visit in Romania, Friday, January 11, at the MoD HQ.

After the review of the Guard of Honor, the MoD delegation was introduced to the Secretary General and this occasion, he congratulated few military with special merits in the international missions.

During the meeting, the officials had talks on the preparation and organization of Bucharest Summit, in April, and the Romanian Armed Forces participation in NATO led military operations, especially the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. I wish to present my greatest respect and appreciation for the soldiers, the Romanians acting in operations, in NATO missions. They are doing an excellent job there, in the theaters of operations stated Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the end of the meeting.

The Defense Minister, Teodor Melescanu assured the Secretary General that from the MoD point of view we do all that is possible for the Summit to be a success, from the point of view of organization, substance and the decisions to be taken.

The Defense Minister offered to the Secretary General a sword with value of symbol from the Romanian Armed Forces.

MoD Press Office