NATOSource

May 13, 2010

Gen. Abrial on Challenges to NATO Ballistic Missile Defense

By the Army Times

Gen. Abrial on Challenges to NATO Ballistic Missile Defense

French General Stephane Abrial speaks at the NATO headquarters in Norfolf, Virginia on September 8, 2009.

From the Army Times: The issue of information-sharing is even more important when deciding how to handle ballistic missile defense, [NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation Gen. Stéphane] Abrial said.

“For BMD, this will be probably more difficult than in other domains,” he noted. “This notion is still contentious — some nations are very willing, others are not.”

And if NATO takes over the mission, “it will be necessary to solve this critical issue of information-sharing,” which won’t be easy, he said.

“It is extremely closed and sensitive and related to the sovereignty of nations,” Abrial said. “It could not be NATO alone.”  (photo: Getty)

Image: getty%205%2013%2010%20French%20General%20Stephane%20Abrial%20at%20NATO%20HQ%20Norfolf%20VA.jpg