NATO`s Military Committee, the senior military authority in NATO, will meet at the level of the Chiefs of Defence, in Romania, at Sibiu, between 14 and 16 September.

The Chiefs of Defence of NATO`s 28 member countries will discus about the Alliance`s ongoing operations and the key topics listed on the conference agenda.

This is the first reunion of the Chiefs of Defence in this format after the Chicago Summit and the first to take place in Romania.

The Sibiu Conference will be headed by the Chairman of NATO`s Military Committee, General Knud Bartels with the participation of Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Stephane Abrial, the current Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) and of General Jean-Paul Palomeros, the future Commander of SACT. Also, General John Allen, the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) will present to the audience at Sibiu the latest information about NATO`s mission in the theatre of operation from Afghanistan.

Ambassador Stephen Evans, NATO`s Assistant Secretary General for Operations and General Lieutenant Arne Bård Dalhaug, the Commandant of NATO`s Defence College from Rome, are special invitees of NATO Military Committee's Chairman.

The conference will focus on the general environment security challenges as well as on the ongoing allied operations from Afghanistan and Western Balkans. Also, NATO`s transformation process stages and the review of the International Military Staff (IMS)'s structure-the executive body of the Military Committee-will also be among the topics of this conference. The conference will end with the election of the new general director of the IMS.

Throughout the conference, Lieutenant General Stefan Danila, the Chief of General Staff and the host of the reunion, will have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries. The topics to be discussed during the conference will approach Romania`s participation in the theatres of operations in NATO-led missions, the Romanian Armed Forces` transformation process and the ways of strengthening the bilateral military cooperation.

Media opportunities:
On Friday, 14 September 2012
• 17.15 17.30 Welcoming Military Ceremony (Piata Mare from Sibiu, only photo and video opportunities)
On Saturday, 15 September 2012
• 08.00 08.30 First working sessions in plenum, the Chairman of NATO`s Military Committee, General Knud Bartels, and the Minister of National Defence, mister Corneliu Dobritoiu, will make their opening speeches. (Hilton Hotel)
• 19.00 19.30 Pres conference hold by Lieutenant General Stefan Danila and General Knud Bartels who will present the conclusions drawn after the conference (Hilton Hotel)

Media notes:
• The Public Information Centre is placed at Hilton Hotel, at Sibiu;
• Point of contact in Romania: Mr. Monica SZLAVIK, Chief of Public Information Centre, Public Relations Directorate, Ministry of National Defence, telephone number: +4.0730.591.109, e-mail: mcc2012.ro@gmail.com and Col. Florin JIPA, Chief of Public Information Centre, Public Relations Directorate, Ministry of National Defence, telephone number: +4.0722.380.145, fax: +4021.319.60.22;
• Points of contact for the Chairman of NATO`s Military Committee:
CPT. (N), Dan TERMANSEN, Public Affairs Advisor, telephone number: +3.2475.757.561, e-mail: termansen.dan@hq.nato.int and Mr. Tom MONBALLIU, Public Affairs Officer, telephone number: +3.2473.921.900 (cell) e-mail: monballiu.tom@hq.nato.int;
• Only the accredited press will be given entrance permits to the NATO's Military Committee Conference. The accreditation requests will be electronically processed. The accreditation form (attached to this e-mail) will have to be completed and sent to the next e-mail address: mcc2012.ro@gmail.com, until Wednesday, September12, 18.00. The forms submitted after this timeline can be refused. The accredited journalists can take their entrance permits on Thursday, September13, between 12.00 p.m. and 16.00 p.m., from the Public Information Centre, Hilton Hotel;
• The journalists participating at the conference must have their entrance permits visibly attached throughout the conference. The security personnel can check the identity of the delegations` members and request additional identity documents in order to check the identity of the journalists wearing entrance permits. The press must be aware that the security personnel will do the checking before each media event. For this reason, the journalists are requested to come to the conference media events in due time.

MoND Press Office