The first informal meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence after the attacks against the United States, originally scheduled to be held in Pozzuoli but then transferred to Brussels for security reasons, was an occasion for the Alliance to express its condolences to the families of the victims and to reaffirm its solidarity with the American people. At the end of the meeting, NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson declared that “ NATO is ready to provide assistance to the USA“. US Assistant Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, outlined the American plan for an “international campaign” against terrorism, as part of which the military aspect would be combined with “the freezing of the assets of terrorist groups, investigative measures and a huge effort of intelligence gathering“. At the end of the meeting, in which Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov also took part, Lord Robertson declared that “ the Allies are however ready to intervene: it’s enough for a State that has been attacked to request it“. Subsequently the United States furnished NATO with the proofs of the involvement of Bin Laden and his Al Quaida network in the terrorist attacks of 11 September.
