COMSEEBBRIG OPENING REMARKS

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS DAY DURING "SEVEN STARS 2007"

Mrs. Chairlady,

You're Excellencies,

Generals, Admirals,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great pleasure and honor for me to welcome you on the occasion of the most important exercise for SEEBRIG, SEVEN STARS 07. This exercise have played critical role in the development and preparation of the brigade since its establishment in 1999. It helped every year the personnel to reach a high level of experience and proficiency, which is one of the most important preconditions for the professional success.

As you well know the brigade has been established by the participating nations to contribute the regional stability and peaceful relations among the South-Eastern European countries.

For more than 8 years, with the efforts and contribution of all the personnel, which have worked for SEEBRIG, the brigade became an integral part of security policy and regionalcooperation.

That for, today I want to praise the contribution of all former SEEBRIG commanders and staff members to the success story that our brigade has become these days. I greet Generals Nenov and Soulis presence during exercise, we are very proud and honored to host you here in Istanbul.

We have to have permanently in our mind the fact that, we need to raise the level of our preparation, conducting exercises like this. SEVEN STARS is a brilliant example of way how to prepare the multinational staffs and units.

As a real military we know the main principle "More efforts in the exercise, less in the battle". The aim is to improve the operational capabilities by creating a common understanding of PSOs and humanitarian assistance and to enhance the interoperability by training the HQ personnel, unit commanders and their staffs. The peak of our training must be an FTX for 2008 in order to go after exceptionally verbatim proved principle "Train as you fight".

There is one more important thing, which makes this exercise special. Now, the brigade has gain after 2006 mission in Afghanistan a very important experience, and has used its capacity exactly for what it was created. This is a very challenging think, having in mind that for the first time since his establishment in 1999 almost all SEEBRIG personnel is new. That is why, all of us, as participants, we have to do our best during the execution, we have to apply the knowledge and experience, gathered by our predecessors from the Afghanistan mission, from the real environment. All the personnel have to pay especial attention on each detail in the working process. The staff of the exercise will try to create an environment close to the reality, which is one of the most important conditions to be prepared when we will be again on the ground.

Here, I want to stress on one more important issue. To get to success, except the operational side we should train our team working abilities. During the exercise, in these days make efforts to work in a spirit of friendship and understanding. Being real team we will accomplish each task and will overcome each objective.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize on an importance of your diligence and endeavor to maintain and excel the appropriate operational level necessary to participate in a real mission again. I am deeply convinced that so professional and highly motivated as our personnel will do their utmost effort to finish the exercise with excellent results.

Finally, SEEEBRIG is a success story, and forthcoming accession of new countries like Ukraine is proving that. The presence of such numerous national delegations, High-Level representatives and the attendance of Military Attachés from countries outside SEDM are evincing the SEEBRIG achievements as a perfect example for successful cooperation, understanding and partnership.

To conclude, I wish you once more, a very good stay in Nation 7 multicultural city of Istanbul, and a successful work.

Make your nations proud of their SEEBRIG membership!!!

Thank you for your attention!!!