ISTANBUL - NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Sunday that NATO needed transformation in regard to capacity and political understanding. Scheffer noted that but it was not possible to complete significant transformation in a very short time.
NATO Response Force (NRF) change of command ceremony was held in Istanbul.
Scheffer said that there was need for modern military capacities to carry out modern military operations, noting that NATO was going through reconstruction and transition period.
De Hoop Scheffer stressed that NRF was at the center of the Alliance's military transformation.
Replying to a question, Scheffer said that in which framework NATO would act in Iraq and Afghanistan would be determined in the NATO Summit in Istanbul. He stressed that NATO had a full political will, stating that NATO would fulfill commitments it made.
(EÖ-BRC) 27.06.2004