On the 6th and 7th September 2021, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer was in Turkey, where he met the Minister of Defence, Mr Hulusi Akar and the Chief of Defence, General Yaşar Güler. The Admiral visited NATO Allied Land Command, as well as the NATO-accredited Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism and the Partnership for Peace Training Centre.
On the 6th September, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Bauer laid a wreath and payed his respects at the Anitkabir Mausoleum, where the first President of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is buried. After this solemn moment, the Admiral headed to the Ministry of Defence, where he was welcomed in an official ceremony by the Turkish Chief of Defence.
During their meeting, Admiral Bauer and General Güler discussed the ongoing situation in Afghanistan. “The situation in Afghanistan remains concerning. Thanks to the help of Allies, such as Turkey, and Partners we have been able to evacuate NATO-affiliated Afghans. I am especially grateful for Turkey’s extraordinary support during the evacuations, including their efforts to secure the airport in Kabul”, highlighted the Admiral.
They also broached the programme for the upcoming NATO Military Committee Conference in Athens, where 30 Allied Chiefs of Defence will discuss NATO’s Operations, Missions and Activities; the Alliance’s Deterrence and Defence posture; and the implementation of the Concept for Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area and NATO’s Warfighting Capstone Concept.
Subsequently, Admiral Bauer sat down with Minister of Defence, Mr Hulusi Akar. Their discussions centred on regional security issues, Turkey’s valuable contributions to the Alliance and the NATO 2030 initiative. They exchanged views on how to adapt and ensure the Alliance remains fit to face the challenges of the next decade. “The challenges NATO faces, evolve with time. But we must always remain fit for purpose and ready to expect the unexpected”, stated Admiral Bauer.
The Chair then visited the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Training Centre and the Centre of Excellence – Defence against Terrorism. He received briefings on the Centres latest projects and work. “The centres are providing our staff with the training opportunities they need to remain the best in their fields. I am grateful for Turkey for hosting and staffing them”, underscored the Chair.
The second day of the programme was spent at the NATO Allied Land Command. After being welcomed by its Commander, Lieutenant General Roger Cloutier, the Admiral received an overview on the command’s tasks, area of responsibilities, and position in the NATO Command Structure. He was also briefed on the ongoing activities and exercises designed to strengthen Allied Forces’ effectiveness & interoperability in the operational land domain. “The work done by our Land Command with regards to training, evaluation and certification is crucial to strengthen Allied Forces’ effectiveness and interoperability”, concluded Admiral Bauer.