US, Bangladesh Navy Commence CARAT Training

Dhaka Tribune Report (original text, not written by Rani Singh)

The fourth annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh exercise commenced with an opening ceremony at Naval Base Issa Khan on September 25, says a press release.

Continuing through September 30, CARAT Bangladesh 2014 consists of six days of shore-based and at-sea training events designed to address shared maritime security priorities, to develop relationships, and to enhance cooperation among participating forces.
   In its 20th year, CARAT is a bilateral exercise series between the US Navy and the armed forces of nine partner nations in South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
   “In just a few years, CARAT Bangladesh has become the premier engagement between our navies,” said Rear Admiral Charles Williams, Commander of Task Force 73 and US 7th Fleet’s executive agent for theater security cooperation in South Asia.

This year, the vessel USNS Safeguard, with a mobile diving and salvage unit, will join Bangladesh Navy ships including the former Hamilton-class cutter, BNS Somudro Joy and the frigate BNS Bangabandhu. Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 staff will embark Somudro Joy as part of a ship rider exchange. 

 For the first time, a Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will participate in CARAT Bangladesh alongside the Bangladesh Navy’s Dornier, taking naval aviation training to the next level and enhancing shared maritime domain awareness. 

“We are looking forward to going to sea with the Bangladesh Navy this year and training with their ships and aircraft in the Bay of Bengal,” said Captain Fred Kacher, Destroyer Squadron 7 Commodore.  “We expect to learn a great deal from them about operating in these vital waters, which connect our navies and our nations.” 

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/sep/28/us-bangladesh-navy-commence-carat-training#sthash.RpQ8ygai.dpuf

NATO WALES SUMMIT PROGRAMME

The Summit will open on 4 September and the Secretary General will put it in context at a doorstep scheduled for 9h35 local time.

It will start at 11h45 with the Secretary General and Prime Minister Cameron officially welcoming Heads of State and Government.

This will be immediately followed by an official family photo at 12h30.

The Summit will formally open with a meeting on Afghanistan at 13h00. The Allied Heads of State and Government will meet with 27 partner countries including ISAF contributors (Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, El Salvador, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Sweden, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name), Tonga, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates), countries from the region (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan) as well as Japan. High level representatives of the United Nations and the European Union will also attend.

The second meeting on 4 September will start at 16h45 and will be a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission. President Poroshenko of Ukraine has been invited.

Heads of State and Government will then attend a working dinner in Cardiff which will start at 20h30.

On 5 September, the 28 leaders will hold two sessions of the North Atlantic Council. The first session will take place at around 9h30. The second session will start around 13h00.

NATO Defence and Foreign Ministers will attend the Summit and hold parallel meetings.

On 4 September at 14h15, NATO Foreign Ministers will meet their counterparts from the four aspirant countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name).

At 16h30 NATO Defence Ministers will meet their counterparts from 24 partner countries which cooperate with NATO on interoperability. The format will be 28 Allied Defence Ministers and Ministers from the following partner countries: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name), Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates.

Two separate working dinners will take place in Cardiff for Foreign Ministers (2010 start) and Defence Ministers (1930 start). A separate dinner with partner countries will take place at Celtic Manor, starting at 20h00.

On 5 September at 9h30, Foreign Ministers will hold consultations with the EU, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Didier Burkhalter), the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (Thorbjørn Jagland) and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (Catherine Ashton) are invited.

On 5 September at 11h00, NATO Defence Ministers will meet with their counterparts from Australia, Finland, Georgia, Jordan and Sweden, to discuss enhanced opportunities for cooperation.