NATO To Include Counter-Terrorism In Its Role
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Courtesy Of: Reuters News
Thu Nov 23, 2006

LONDON (Reuters) - NATO countries will endorse a plan next week to widen the alliance's role to include counter-terrorism, prevention of cyber attacks and security of natural resources, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

The newspaper said it had obtained a copy of the plan, which sought to "provide a framework and political direction for NATO's continuing transformation ... for the next 10 to 15 years".

The plan said terrorism and weapons of mass destruction "are likely to be the principal threats to the alliance" over that period, the newspaper said.

The Financial Times said the plan would be signed by the leaders of the 26-nation alliance who are due to meet in Riga, Latvia on November 28-29..

The plan, which would be made public next week, had already been endorsed by NATO defense ministers, it said.

Setting out strategy goals, the plan said NATO should be ready to fight more than one big operation at a time, as well as an increasing number of smaller engagements.

It said NATO should put a premium on "the ability to deter, disrupt, defend and protect against terrorism, and more particularly to contribute to the protection of the alliance's populations, territory, critical infrastructure and forces".

Other areas for the alliance to concentrate on included defending information from "cyber attacks".

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