NATO chief appoints experts for reflection process

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday appointed a group of experts to study ways to further strengthen political dimension of the alliance, as it was agreed in the Leaders’ Meeting in London last year.

Turkey's Ambassador Tacan Ildem will be among the group of five male and five female experts from other allied countries.

The group “will offer recommendations to reinforce Alliance unity, increase political consultation and coordination between Allies, and strengthen NATO’s political role,” said a NATO statement.

“The group will engage with Allied capitals and the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s decision making body, and other relevant stakeholders,” it added.

It will jointly be co-chaired by Thomas de Maiziere of Germany and Wess Mitchell of the U.S.

The other members of the group include Greta Bossenmaier from Canada, Anja Dalgaard-Nielsen from Denmark, Hubert Vedrine from France, Marta Dassu from Italy, Herna Verhagen from the Netherlands, Anna Fotyga from Poland, and John Bew from the U.K.