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NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting

FCO Minister David Lidington will discuss Middle East and North Africa, NATO-Russia cooperation and Afghanistan at NATO Foreign Ministerial.

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On Tuesday 23 April 2013 there will be a NATO Foreign Ministerial at the NATO headquarters in Brussels. The Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Minister of State for Europe, will represent the UK. Ministers will discuss developments in the Middle East and North Africa, NATO-Russia cooperation and ISAF mission progress in Afghanistan.

Allies will discuss recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa and their impact on regional security. Ministers will receive a briefing on the defensive deployment of Patriot missile batteries to Turkey, which remain deployed in order to defend the population and territory of Turkey against threats posed by missiles across its border with Syria.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet Allies in NATO-Russia Council (NRC) format. The meeting is an opportunity to strengthen political dialogue and discuss common security issues. They will discuss practical and technical cooperation in counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy, and the NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund which is developing the Afghan Air Force’s capabilities aiding Afghans to provide security for their country.

NATO Ministers will meet the 22 ISAF partners. Ministers will re-affirm their long-term commitment to a stable and secure Afghanistan led by capable Afghan security forces post-2014 as ISAF moves from combat to a supporting role.

For more information, follow us on Twitter @UKNATO, #NATOMinisterial, or visit NATO Events page.

Published 23 April 2013