Baghdad— NTM-I and UNAMI representatives during the meeting at UNAMI Headquarters on 26 October 2011. (Photo by NTM-I)

Baghdad, Iraq – Deputy Commander of NATO Training Mission – Iraq (NTM-I) Maj. Gen. Giovanni Armentani met with United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (political) Mr. Jerzy Skuratowicz, as well as police and military advisors at UNAMI Headquarters on 26 October 2011.

During the meeting, Maj. Gen. Armentani and Mr. Skuratowicz discussed the current activities and plans of their organizations, and the increasing importance of providing political advice to Iraqi Institutions. The development of Human Rights in Iraq was one of the main topics of discussion. Both agreed the importance to intensifying the promotion of Human Rights protection as a part of their organizations' activities. Maj. Gen. Armentani also stressed that Human Rights and Rule of Law education formed an integral component of training provided by NTM-I to the Iraqi Federal and Oil Police. Senior representatives also agreed to work on the possibility of UNAMI delegate participation in the next Joint Committee for Future Training, which will meet in January 2012.

At the end of meeting, Maj. Gen. Armentani and Mr. Skuratowicz agreed to develop closer coordination between NTM-I and UNAMI, and to continue to strengthen relations in the future.

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The NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) was established in 2004 at the request of the Iraqi Interim Government under the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1546. The aim of NTM-I is to assist in the development of Iraqi security forces training structures and institutions so that Iraq can build an effective and self-sustainable capability that address the needs of the nation.

NTM-I is not a combat mission but is a distinct training mission, under the political control of NATO's North Atlantic Council. Its operational emphasis is on training and mentoring. The activities of the mission are coordinated with Iraqi authorities and the Office for Security and Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I) Chief, who is also dual-hatted as the Commander of NTM-I. NATO has an enduring commitment to Iraq.

NTM-I advises and supports the Defence University for Military Studies, National Defence College, War College, and the Defence Language Institute with the other institutions in Baghdad. Other cooperation projects for NATO in Iraq are out-of-country training courses for Iraqi nationals at NATO schools as well as the Iraqi Police (Iraqi Federal Police and Oil Police) training led by Italian Carabinieri.

Currently, NTM-I is a small tactical force of NATO/PfP personnel, representing 13 member nations (as of October 2011): Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine (Partner for Peace), UK, USA.