NATO Secretary General welcomes expansion of NATO deployment in the Aegean Sea

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details No.32, 2016 (06.03.16)
Publication Date 06/03/2016
Content Type

On the 6 March 2016 the NATO Secretary General welcomed the expansion of NATO deployment in the Aegean Sea to include patrolling in Greek and Turkish territorial waters.

'NATO took swift decisions to deploy ships to the Aegean Sea to support our Allies Greece and Turkey, as well as the EU's border agency FRONTEX, in their efforts to tackle the migrant and refugee crisis. NATO ships are already collecting information and conducting monitoring in the Aegean Sea'.

'This is an excellent example of how NATO and the EU can work together to address common challenges. I welcome the fact that we were able to finalise these arrangements in such a short time. In this crisis, time is of the essence, and cooperation is key'.

Separately, the United Kingdom announced on the 7 February 2016 that it would provide 'vital military assets' to help the Nato mission. RFA Mounts Bay and two Border Force patrol boats would join naval vessels from Germany, Canada, Turkey and Greece as part of Nato's first intervention in the migrant crisis.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_128833.htm
Related Links
ESO: Background Information: Nato’s new migrant mission in the Aegean is a victory for Turkey and proof of Europe’s strategic irrelevance http://www.europeansources.info/record/natos-new-migrant-mission-in-the-aegean-is-a-victory-for-turkey-and-proof-of-europes-strategic-irrelevance/
ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/
ESO: Background information: NATO Defence Ministers Agree on NATO support to assist with the Refugee and Migrant Crisis http://www.europeansources.info/record/nato-defence-ministers-agree-on-nato-support-to-assist-with-the-refugee-and-migrant-crisis/
BBC News, 07.03.16: Migrant crisis: UK to send ships to tackle people smugglers http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35742625
United Kingdom: GOV.UK: Prime Minister's Office: Press Release, 07.03.16: PM announces UK deployment for NATO mission in Aegean Sea to tackle migrant crisis https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-uk-deployment-for-nato-mission-in-aegean-sea-to-tackle-migrant-crisis
Deutsche Welle, 07.03.16: NATO expands anti-trafficking mission into Turkish, Greek waters http://dw.com/p/1I8uI
ESO: Background information: Joint statement by High Representative Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos on the modalities of the cooperation between Frontex and NATO in the Aegean Sea http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-joint-statement-by-high-representative-federica-mogherini-and-commissioner-dimitris-avramopoulos-on-the-modalities-of-the-cooperation-between-frontex-and-nato-in-the-aegean-sea/
EurActiv, 25.03.16: NATO’s performance on migrants at sea ‘infuriates’ Tsipras http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/natos-performance-on-migrants-at-sea-infuriates-tsipras/

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