NATO SUMMIT IN RIGA AND GMF CONFERENCE

Head of states and govern-ments of 26 NATO members met on December 26, 2006 in Riga. Hon. Egemen Bagis was among the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Erdogan. Egemen Bagis also attended the conference on "Transforming NATO in the New Global Era", organized by the German Marshall Fund simultaneously with the NATO Riga Conference. Politicians from both sides of the Atlantic discussed difficulties faced by NATO, and NATO member countries.

Decisions transforming NATO into a world organization were taken in the Summit, held for the first time in a former Soviet Republic country. Steps to spread the sphere of influence and field of duties of the Alliance around to globe were taken. In Summit the leaders tried to define the NATO policies for the next decade. In the "Comprehensive Political Guidance" adopted at the end of the Summit terrorism, the expansion of weapons of mass destruction, and the difficulties in the delivery of energy resources to international markets were classified as the problems NATO will face in short and medium term.