2011

Full text from speech made at a Press Conference held at Allied Joint Force Command, Naples on March 31 by Lt.Gen Bouchard, Combined Joint Commander of Operation Unified Protector.

Full text from Speech made at Operation Unified Protector Press Conference by Lt.Gen Bouchard, JFC Naples.

At the weekend the Commander of NATO maritime forces conducting counter piracy operation Ocean Shield, Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), gave a warm welcome to his Chinese counterpart, Commodore Han Xiaoh, when he visited the new NATO flagship HNLMS Tromp at sea in the Gulf of Aden.

NATO Allies have decided to take on the whole military operation in Libya under the United Nations Security Council Resolution.

Ramstein, 24 March 11. The eighth Baltic Region Training Event (BRTE VIII) was completed yesterday with the cooperation of fighter and transport aircraft of NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) member Sweden over the Baltic Sea.

NATO Allies have now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya.
We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect civilians against the attacks by the Gaddafi regime. We will cooperate with our partners in the region and welcome their contributions.

On March 22nd the NATO Secretary General announced NATO's agreement to enforce a UN-mandated arms embargo on Libya within the context of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973 and broader international response.

Two weeks ago NATO's military leadership established round the clock airborne surveillance and ordered the re-direction of NATO's assets to the central Mediterranean.

NATO warships and aircraft have started patrolling the approaches to Libya's coast as part of Operation Unified Protector. Their mission is to enforce the arms embargo called for in UN Security Council Resolution 1973.

ISAF Deputy Chief of Staff Communications, Rear Admiral Hal Pittman visited SHAPE on March 17th 2011. This informal visit was an opportunity for Admiral Pittman to meet SHAPE PAO communication staff and to discuss current operations in Afghanistan.

LONDON: After serving as the NATO flagship for 4 months in the counter piracy mission Operation Ocean Shield, the Dutch warship HNLMS DE Ruyter handed over her flagship duties to HNLMS Tromp yesterday. Tromp is the third warship to hold flagship duties for the NATO Task Group under Netherlands command.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, NATO Training Mission-Iraq commander, conducted a NATO Medal Parade Ceremony at Forward Operating Base Union III on March 16 for NTM-I advisors and staff who have finished their tour and are departing the mission.