The Defence Ministers of the European Union member states in their informal meeting in Prague focused on three main issues within the European Security and Defence Policy, i.e.: the EU military operations; the projects on military capability under the European Defence Agency aegis and the EU cooperation with strategic partners in the area of international security. As for the EU military operations, the Defence Ministers analyzed the fulfillment of EUFOR ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that it was time to consider the future reconfiguration of the mission. In his speech, Minister Stanisoara stated that Romania will maintain the present level of participation with forces in EUFOR ALTHEA to ensure an environment of security and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main points on the agenda of the informal meeting were the end of EUFOR TCAD operation which will be handed over to the UN and the stage of EUFOR ATALANTA – the EU first naval mission aimed at fighting piracy in the waters off the coast of Somalia. The Defence Ministers evaluated the projects and the initiatives of cooperation under the aegis of the European Defence Agency, the increase of helicopters in numbers for operations and the European Air Transport Fleet. They analyzed the efficiency of the EU – NATO and the UN-African Union partnerships with the stress on the cooperation in the running on operations. The NATO and the EU transparency, coordination and complementarities are of a special interest for Romania as the two organizations’ member state.

MoND Press Office