VARIOUS SHOTS OF PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH GENERAL LEMNITZER.




Initials JSU/V/MGT/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: GENERAL LYMAN LEMNITZER, SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER EUROPE, WAS HOST TODAY (TUESDAY) TO 25 NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARIANS WHO WERE PAYING THEIR FIRST VISIT TO THE NEW SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE) SITE AT CASTEAU IN BELGIUM. THE PARLIAMENTARIANS WERE AT SHAPE AS PART OF A BI-ANNUAL TOUR OF ALLIED COMMAND EUROPE.

THE NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY -- PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS' CONFERENCE -- IS COMPROMISED OF MEMBERS DRAWN FROM THE NATIONAL LEGISLATURES OF THE 15 NATO COUNTRIES, GENERALLY APPOINTED BY THE RESPECTIVE SPEAKERS OF HOUSES AND SENATES.

SIMILAR TO THE AIMS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN STRASBOURG, THE ASSEMBLY SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN POLITICAL UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION AMONG THEIR COUNTRIES AND, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES, GIVE PROOF OF THEIR INTEREST IN THE PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENTS OF THE ALLIANCE.

ACTING AS CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP FOR THE PERIOD OF THE TOUR IS MR KASIM GULEK OF TURKEY. THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES ARE REPRESENTED: BELGIUM, CANADA, DENMARK, LUXEMBOURG, WEST GERMANY, NORWAY, PORTUGAL, HOLLAND, UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED STATES.