The Defence Minister, Teodor Atanasiu, and the Chief of the General Staff, General Dr. Eugen Badalan, met today in Kabul with the Afghan Defence Minister, General Abdul Rahim Wardak, the Commander of the New Afghan Armed Forces, General Bismullah Khan, and the Commander of the ISAF, Lieutenant General Mauro del Vecchio.

The MoD delegation, which also included Ioan Ion, State Secretary and Chief of the Department for Armaments, Mihai Stanisoara, Chairman of the Deputy Chamber's Board of Defence, Public Order and National Security, as well as generals and officers, visited the 26th Infantry Battalion Neagoe Basarab deployment camp too. They briefed the Romanian officials on their capabilities and past and present missions in support of the Afghan security forces during the election process.

Minister Atanasiu told the Red Scorpions that, in the near future, promotion of military would be based on their activity during participation in the Romanian Armed Forces missions abroad. Atanasiu also said that a main concern of the MoD leadership was the ways to improve the conditions of life of the military.

General Badalan mentioned that the discussions with the Commander of ISAF pointed out that the Romanian military had a very important task and they had accomplished it in a professional manner. I highly appreciate the cooperation existing between the Red Scorpions and the American military, the Chief of the General Staff added.

More details (photos, audio, video) are to be found on the MoD website: www.mapn.ro.

MoND Press Office