Belgian Prime Minister and Minister of Defence visited Eurocorps

Strasbourg (France), 23rd January 2007.

Mr. Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian Prime Minister, paid for the first time a visit to the Eurocorps headquarters. He was welcomed at Entzheim airport by Mr. Jean-Paul Faugère, Préfet of Bas-Rhin, His Excellency Mr. Jan Devadder, Belgian permanent representative to the Council of Europe and Lieutenant General Charles-Henri Delcour, Commanding General of the Eurocorps.

The Prime Minister first went to the Council of Europe and joined afterward the Aubert-de-Vincelles Barracks. Mr. André Flahaut, Belgian Minister of Defence, participated to this visit as well. During a short presentation, the visitors were informed on the Eurocorps and its two latest important missions: ISAF VI in Afghanistan (August 2004 – February 2005) and the NRF 7 operational standby period (July – December 2006). Then, they visited successively the Situation Centre, from where the Home base is linked to the deployed Command Post(s) during exercises or real missions, and finally the training platform. This platform was used for the first time during the exercise Common Tenacity 06 in October 2006. Its main advantage is to offer the HQ the opportunity to train the Command Post in realistic conditions, but at low costs.

The visit ended with an informal meeting where both Ministers had the opportunity to meet with Belgian soldiers posted at the Eurocorps headquarters.

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