Director General of the NATO International Military Staff addresses the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum – NATO HQ (press release)

Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS) visited Romania on 9-11 June 2017. During his visit, Lieutenant General Broeks addressed the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum and held staff talks with Romanian officials.

At the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum, Lieutenant General Broeks participated in a panel on the Security challenges in the Black Sea area and the Balkans. Other participants in the panel included: Mr. Dan Dungaciu, member of the Scientific Council of the New Strategy Center (Chair); General Nicolae Ciuc, Chief of the Romanian General Staff; Mr. Mustafa Aydin, rector of Kadir Has University Istanbul and president of the International Relations Council of Turkey; Mr. Przemysaw urawski vel Grajewski, advisor for defence issues to the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Robert Bari, Lecturer at the Croatian Defense Academy.

During his address, Lieutenant General Broeks highlighted the importance of the Black Sea as a key strategic intersection linking NATOs Eastern and Southern flanks and the Balkans role as a gateway to Europe from the Southern Caucuses, the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East. Lieutenant General Broeks also stressed that the Region has become the central focus of Russias larger strategic ambitions and revisionist agenda, making it a potential flashpoint for future conflict on NATOs border.

While in Bucharest, the Director General met with Romanian military officials to discuss the security environment in the Black Sea region and the Romanian Armed Forces transformation process. Lieutenant General Broeks took the opportunity to thank Romania for hosting and activating the Multinational Division South-East Headquarters as well as its role in strengthening NATOs forward presence with a Romanian-led multinational framework brigade on land. They also discussed the deployment of the British Typhoon fighter aircrafts who will be working alongside the Romanian Air Force to help keep the skies over Romania safe, as part of NATOs Air Policing mission.

Finally, Lieutenant General Broeks praised Romania for its valuable contributions to NATOs Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

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Director General of the NATO International Military Staff addresses the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum - NATO HQ (press release)