1.
AERIAL VIEW GV SITE OF NEW BUILDING
0.12

2.
SV GENERAL LEMNITZER ARRIVING WITH OTHERS
0.21

3.
SV COVERED PLAQUE
0.23

4.
LV & SV BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER SPEAKS (2 SHOTS)
0.28

5.
LV PEOPLE LISTENING
0.31

6.
SV GENERAL LEMNITZER MAKING SPEECH
0.37

7.
SV CROWD
0.41

8.
LV GENERAL LEMNITZER UNVEILING PLAQUE
0.47

9.
SV GENERAL LEMNITZER SALUTES PLAQUE
0.52

10.
CU PLAQUE
0.56

11.
SV GENERAL LEMNITZER WALKING AWAY
0.58

12.
GV PAN BUILDING EQUIPMENT ON SITE
1.07



Initials RGH/V/MGT/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE NORTH ATLANTIC ALLIANCE (NATO) OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS IN BELGIUM TODAY (THURSDAY). THE SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR EUROPE, GENERAL LYMAN LEMNITZER, UNVEILED A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE FOR THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE) AT CASTEAU.

REPRESENTING BELGIUM AT THE CEREMONY WERE THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. VANDEN BOEYNANTS, AND THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE, MR. POSWICK.

GENERAL LEMNITZER SAID TODAY'S CEREMONY USHERED IN A NEW ERA FOR NATO. HE SAID SOLIDARITY AMONG THE MEMBERS STATES OF NATO WAS ESSENTIAL AND THIS HAD BEEN PROVED DURING THE MOVE FROM FRANCE TO BELGIUM.

THE LAND ON WHICH SHAPE IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IS OWNED BY THE BELGIUM GOVERNMENT AND IS 6 MILES (10 KMS) FROM CASTEAU.

SHAPE IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED AND READY FOR OPERATIONAL USE BY APRIL NEXT YEAR. IN ADDITION TO THE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING THERE WILL BE QUARTERS FOR PERSONNEL, A SWIMMING POOL, FOOTBALL FIELDS, A SHOPPING CENTRE AND A THEATRE.