Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany—

More than 150 representatives from the 27 NATO-Russia Council member states will meet in Ljubljana, Slovenia June 28 - July 1 to examine the impact of terrorism and to determine ways to strengthen cooperation in preventing, countering and managing the consequences of terrorist acts.

The conference, which is co-sponsored by the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and the United States Mission to NATO, will bring civil crisis response and military operational experts from Russia and NATO allies together to compare lessons learned from recent religious extremists’ terror attacks with presentations from the United States, Turkey, Spain, and the Russian Federation.

The conference objectives are:

• to exchange information between practitioners and policy experts from all levels;



• to enhance understanding of terrorists’ methods and procedures; and



• to learn from each other’ national responses and capabilities.

This enhanced understanding will form a foundation for improving national capabilities, as well as encouraging inter-agency and inter-governmental cooperation in effectively countering terrorism.

The conference will open with remarks from numerous distinguished speakers to include: Mr. Dimitrij Rupel, Slovenia Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Thomas B. Robertson, United States Ambassador to Slovenia; Ambassador Hans Jochen Peters, German Ambassador to Slovenia; Mr. Paul Fritch, Director of Russia Relations, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division; and Dr. John Rose, Director, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. The conference will be translated into Russian, French and English.

MEDIA ADVISORY The conference will be held at the Grand Hotel Union. Opening remarks will begin at 8:30 A.M., June 28th. Media representatives, who wish to cover the conference or interview speakers/participants, may contact Mr. Ron Elliott at (country code 49) (0) 8821-7502-882, mobile 00-49-0162-296-1759, or email elliotr@marshallcenter.org for more information.