Eurasia Partnership Capstone 2011 Concludes

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Caitlin Conroy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa/ Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

VALLETTA, Malta (NNS) -- More than 100 multinational naval and coast guard representatives attended the final days of Eurasia Partnership Capstone (EPC) 2011 after kicking off the weeklong collaboration Dec. 4, in Valletta, Malta.

EPC 2011 was cohosted by the armed forces of Malta and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, and was held in Malta for the second time, it included approximately 100 representatives from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Malta, Romania, Ukraine and the United States. These nations focused on strengthening maritime relationships between Eurasian partners.

"The U.S. Navy, as well as our partner navies, face many similar issues or threats; which is why it is so important to be able to work together," said U.S. Navy Lt. Giulliana Vellucci, EPC coordinator.

The maritime environmental protection (MEP) workshop covers regional, national and departmental perspectives on any involved agencies from the United Nations and government of Malta.

"I thought the maritime environmental protection workshop was an excellent opportunity to share information with partner navies and coast guards on the importance of environmental protection and the basic requirements for vessels and naval operations," said John Owens, U.S. Navy on-scene coordinator, regional oil spill preparedness coordinator.

"The topics discussed highlighted the basic needs for all groups to ensure that environmental protection is fully integrated into all planning, training, exercise and operational efforts. Overall it was a very well-rounded workshop," Owens said.

In addition to workshops like maritime environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and advanced network-enabled maritime interdiction operations, participants also took part in the non-commissioned officer (NCO) workshop. The NCO workshop seeks to develop leadership in partner navies NCOs and to foster relations between those officers and NCOs. The goal is to orient leaders at all levels to utilize their personnel to their full potential.

"This workshop was very useful for me," said Romanian Chief Petty Officer Pascu Romeo. "I found the information the instructors shared with us from personal experiences very interesting, I think many of the men and women from our navy should go through a workshop like this."

Participants also enjoyed helping out the local community.

Where they volunteered at the 'Dar tal-Providenza' (House of Providence), a local home for persons with disabilities, located on the outskirts of Siggiewi, Malta. Dar tal-Providenza welcomed the volunteers and set them to work cleaning and decorating for the upcoming holiday season.

"It feels good to serve the community and feel like you've given something back," said Greek naval officer Lt. Christos Tasiopoulos, who was cleaning with a group of EPC participants. "The residents were very welcoming, it was very touching."

"Id-Dar tal-Providenza was glad to welcome all those persons who while attending a conference and workshops in Malta found time to do volunteer work at our homes," said Father Martin Michallef, director at Id-Dar tal-Providenza. "This initiative was a true expression of solidarity and I am sure it was very rewarding to all."

The goal of EPC 2011 is to spark collaboration to improve maritime security through workshops that range from maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, maritime environmental protection, leadership development courses for non-commissioned officers and, for the first time during EPC, advanced network-enabled maritime interdiction operations.

Gates Arrives in Ukraine to Begin Five-Day European Swing

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today to meet with Ukrainian leaders as their new government begins to take shape. The five-day trip, which also will include stops in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Germany, represents a lot of "firsts" for the secretary. It's his first visit to Ukraine as defense secretary, his first-ever visit to Prague, and the first visit by a defense secretary serving in the Bush administration to the Netherlands.

In Ukraine, Gates will meet with Ukrainian President Viktor A. Yushchenko to discuss post-election priorities as the new government forms. He also will meet with Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko to discuss defense reforms the United States is helping bring about.

"We are investing a lot of resources in Ukraine to help it reform its institutions," a senior defense official traveling with Gates told reporters. He called Ukraine's military reforms "a great success story" and Hrytsenko a "fantastic, visionary guy" who has helped move the process forward.

Among topics expected to be discussed are Ukraine's support in Iraq and Kosovo and its consideration of expanding its contributions into Afghanistan, as well. "The Ukrainian government has considered going into Afghanistan for some time," the official said, noting that the country's political upheaval put those discussions "on hold for awhile."

With the likelihood pro-Western Yushchenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will lead the new government, Ukraine will soon be in a better position to look beyond current operations to other missions, the official said.

"Now that there is the potential for a Tymoshenko-Yushchenko government, ... (with) both parties pro-Western, pro-NATO (and) pro-(European Union), ... there could be a restarting of some of the previous traction that the Yushchenko government had," the official said.

Gates' discussions here are likely to include the outcome of his and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent "two-plus-two" meeting with Russian leaders in Moscow. "I can't imagine him sitting down with the Ukrainian leadership, that there won't be a discussion about how the two-plus-two went and how both sides view relationships with Russia," the official said.

The outcome of that meeting and Russian objections to U.S. plans to base missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic are expected to be raised throughout Gates' swing through Europe, particularly when he meets with Czech leaders in Prague later this week, the official said.

Also today, Gates is scheduled to meet with Turkish National Defense Minister Mehmet Vecdi Gonul, followed by bilateral meetings with the defense ministers of three countries seeking NATO membership: Albania, Croatia and Macedonia.

A topic expected to figure largely in the meeting with Gonul -- a topic not anticipated when the meeting was scheduled two weeks ago -- is the Turkish parliament's vote last week authorizing its troops to cross the border into Iraq to confront terrorists launching attacks into Turkey. The one-year authorization gives the green light for Turkey's military to move into the Kurdish region of Iraq to go after members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, who have been launching attacks into Turkey.

Gates has called on Turkey to refrain from military action into Iraq, which he said "would create an international crisis and further undermine stability in Iraq." He told Pentagon reporters at an Oct. 18 news briefing that he intends to reiterate this message in his meeting with Gonul.

"We recognize the harm and heartbreak caused by terrorist attacks across the Iraqi border into Turkey and are working with both governments to rein in the activities of the PKK," he said, vowing to help Turkey counter the threat.

Tomorrow, Gates will attend the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial here before leaving for Prague. Later in the week, he will participate in a NATO informal defense ministerial in Noordwijk, Netherlands, and speak to a U.S. Army Europe-sponsored Conference of European Armies meeting in Germany.