NATO Secretary General stresses importance of transatlantic bond in Davos
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of Allied unity and the transatlantic bond at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday (23 January 2020).
The Secretary General took part in a panel discussion on ‘The Future of NATO’, together with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Italian Minister of European Affairs Vincenzo Amendola.
The Secretary General pointed to a “paradox”: while questions are being asked about the strength and unity of NATO, Europe and North America are doing more together than in many decades. He noted that US troops will cross the Atlantic this year to participate in exercise Defender 2020 with European Allies. The Secretary General underlined that despite differences, Allies have always been able to unite around NATO’s core task: protecting and defending each other.
During his visit to Davos, the Secretary General also held bilateral talks with NATO Allies and partners. In a meeting with President Duda, the Secretary General thanked Poland for its key contributions to NATO.
The Secretary General and Iraqi President Barham Salih addressed developments in the Middle East and NATO-Iraq cooperation. The Secretary General underscored NATO’s commitment to working closely with the Iraqi gouvernement to sustain the gains in the joint fight against Daesh.
The Middle East was also high on the agenda in the Secretary General’s meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Wednesday (22 January). They discussed the security situation in the region and Turkey’s strong contributions to NATO.
