No.19. (08/11/02)

The adaptation of the NATO Alliance to meet the new challenges posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the terrorist threats to its members and the forthcoming enlargement of NATO are set to dominate the 48th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) which will take place in Istanbul from November 15 to 19 2002.

The Session, which will be held at the Lufti Kirdar Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC), will bring together 300 (approx.) legislators from 40 or more countries including the 19 NATO member countries, 17 NATO PA associate members, up to 9 parliamentary observer states and members of the European Parliament, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU).

The NATO PA Annual Session takes place just a few days before the Summit Meeting of the NATO Heads of State in Prague on November 21 and 22. A key event at the Session will, therefore, be a major Plenary debate on Tuesday November 19 on a Draft Declaration on NATO Transformation which says that 'greater (NATO) priority must now be accorded to defence against terrorism and the proliferation of WMD. NATO's 1999 Strategic Concept must be revised accordingly' as must 'the internal structures within NATO itself which have not changed since the Cold War'.

The 5 day NATO PA Annual Session also includes meetings of its 5 committees (Political; Defence and Security; Economics and Security; Science and Technology; and the Civil Dimension of Security) on Saturday and Sunday November 16 and 17 to receive briefings and debate reports on topical issues. The Opening Ceremony of the Session on Friday November 15 at 14.30 will feature keynote addresses by the President of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sukru Sina Gurel, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly (to be announced), the Secretary General of NATO, Lord George Robertson and the President of the NATO PA, Mr. Rafael Estrella.