LAGO PATRIA, Italy - Upon his arrival at the NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples (JFC Naples), the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach was welcomed by its Commander Admiral James Foggo. Active since 2004, JFC Naples is one of two Joint Force Commands responsible for preparing, planning and conducting military operations in order to preserve the peace, security and the territorial integrity of Alliance member states. JFC Naples is responsible for the NATO Kosovo Force, NATO Mission in Iraq and the NATO Response Force.
In his meeting with Admiral Foggo, Air Chief Marshal Peach received an update on the current security situation in the Western Balkans. Admiral Foggo underscored that his command is carefully monitoring the situation and that "NATO supports any effort that leads to the normalisation of the security situation and avoids creating tensions”. The Chairman agreed, adding that "NATO fully supports the continuation of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina which is critical for regional peace and security. Additionally, NATO’s presence in Kosovo, mainly through the NATO-led Kosovo Force, is also contributing to the security and stability in the Western Balkans which is important for the whole of Europe”.
The two military leaders also discussed NATO’s new training mission in Iraq, established at the request of the Iraqi Government and in coordination with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The NATO Mission Iraq, led by Canada, will strengthen the Iraqi security forces, by providing technical advice to Iraq’s Ministry of Defence and the Office of the National Security Adviser; and by training and advising Iraqi instructors at military academies and institutions. Air Chief Marshal Peach highlighted the importance of Capabilities Development, "training local forces "is one of our best weapons in the fight against terrorism.At the same time, we are working to improve our understanding of the threats and challenges from the South”.
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee ended his visit with a briefing from Brigadier General Igazio Lax, Director of the NATO Strategic Direction South (NDS-S) Initiative, aka the Hub for the South. The Hub helps to enhance NATO’s regional situational awareness and understanding of the threats, challenges and opportunities emanating from the South; and to improve our cooperation with partners to counter those challenges through information sharing and assessments of potential threats.
Story by JFC Naples Public Affairs Office