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NATO summit begins in Riga

28 November 2006 16:21 (UTC +04:00)

Strict security measures have been taken in the country, military helicopters are regularly making flights, and the police forces are on alert.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and other officials of the organization arrived in Riga in the morning. Before the summit Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited the international exhibition â€œNATO transformation to global eraâ€? and participated in â€œYoung leadersâ€? forum. Making speech in the opening ceremony NATO Secretary General said it is impossible to solve all existing problems of the world in this summit.
â€œIn this summit we will take a stance on problems and determine the questions to be discussed in the next summits. One of the main questions to be discussed in Riga summit is the problem of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the first region where NATO realized its mission outside Europe. But it is not the last region. We have achieved a lot of improvements in Afghanistan within three years, especially in the sphere of democracy. Now Afghanistan has its own Constitution, elected president and parliament. Education and economy has also improved in this country,â€? he said.
NATO Secretary General noted that the organization is also interested in Pakistan, Iraq and Somali. He also noted that NATO will develop cooperation with EU, CE and World Bank.
â€œI hope that NATO will create broad relations with EU. Besides we have to work on new strategic conceptions for NATO,â€? Secretary General said. /APA/