٠٠:٠٤:٣٢Defence Minister Boris Pistorius hit back at claims that a new 'NATO headquarters' in Rostock, East Germany breached the 1990 treaty on reunification, as he opened the facility on Monday.
"These headquarters play an important role in co-ordinating of NATO's maritime activities in the Baltic," he said.
"To say it again in German, because there are always those who say, it was a violation of the '2 plus 4' treaty and NATO is now opening some headquarters here. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not. Unlike others on this continent, we respect international law. This is not a NATO headquarters, no NATO troops will be stationed here," he claimed.
"It is a multinational task commander and nothing more and nothing less. We work together with NATO. But that's all there is to it," he added.
Didier Malaterre, deputy commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command described it - in English and somewhat confusingly - as the "NATO Commander Task Force Baltic headquarters led by the Deutsch MARFOR (maritime forces)".
Footage also shows a group of protesters with signs including 'NATO get out!' and 'Peace instead of Nato'.
The new HQ will co-ordinate naval activities for NATO countries. According to media reports, the latest row erupted after a number of social media users suggested the move would breach the 'Two Plus Four' Treaty, signed in 1990 to reunite East and West Germany.
Article 5, Paragraph 3 states that "foreign armed forces and nuclear weapons or their carriers shall not be stationed in or transferred to this part of Germany".
However, according to the German Defence Ministry, the new HQ will see existing Rostock Naval Command staff - who it says already work alongside those from 'partner countries' - perform additional tasks for NATO, and so will not, in their view, violate the treaty.
When is a NATO base not a NATO base?! Pistorius denies new HQ breaks reunification treaty
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius hit back at claims that a new 'NATO headquarters' in Rostock, East Germany breached the 1990 treaty on reunification, as he opened the facility on Monday.
"These headquarters play an important role in co-ordinating of NATO's maritime activities in the Baltic," he said.
"To say it again in German, because there are always those who say, it was a violation of the '2 plus 4' treaty and NATO is now opening some headquarters here. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not. Unlike others on this continent, we respect international law. This is not a NATO headquarters, no NATO troops will be stationed here," he claimed.
"It is a multinational task commander and nothing more and nothing less. We work together with NATO. But that's all there is to it," he added.
Didier Malaterre, deputy commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command described it - in English and somewhat confusingly - as the "NATO Commander Task Force Baltic headquarters led by the Deutsch MARFOR (maritime forces)".
Footage also shows a group of protesters with signs including 'NATO get out!' and 'Peace instead of Nato'.
The new HQ will co-ordinate naval activities for NATO countries. According to media reports, the latest row erupted after a number of social media users suggested the move would breach the 'Two Plus Four' Treaty, signed in 1990 to reunite East and West Germany.
Article 5, Paragraph 3 states that "foreign armed forces and nuclear weapons or their carriers shall not be stationed in or transferred to this part of Germany".
However, according to the German Defence Ministry, the new HQ will see existing Rostock Naval Command staff - who it says already work alongside those from 'partner countries' - perform additional tasks for NATO, and so will not, in their view, violate the treaty.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius hit back at claims that a new 'NATO headquarters' in Rostock, East Germany breached the 1990 treaty on reunification, as he opened the facility on Monday.
"These headquarters play an important role in co-ordinating of NATO's maritime activities in the Baltic," he said.
"To say it again in German, because there are always those who say, it was a violation of the '2 plus 4' treaty and NATO is now opening some headquarters here. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not. Unlike others on this continent, we respect international law. This is not a NATO headquarters, no NATO troops will be stationed here," he claimed.
"It is a multinational task commander and nothing more and nothing less. We work together with NATO. But that's all there is to it," he added.
Didier Malaterre, deputy commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command described it - in English and somewhat confusingly - as the "NATO Commander Task Force Baltic headquarters led by the Deutsch MARFOR (maritime forces)".
Footage also shows a group of protesters with signs including 'NATO get out!' and 'Peace instead of Nato'.
The new HQ will co-ordinate naval activities for NATO countries. According to media reports, the latest row erupted after a number of social media users suggested the move would breach the 'Two Plus Four' Treaty, signed in 1990 to reunite East and West Germany.
Article 5, Paragraph 3 states that "foreign armed forces and nuclear weapons or their carriers shall not be stationed in or transferred to this part of Germany".
However, according to the German Defence Ministry, the new HQ will see existing Rostock Naval Command staff - who it says already work alongside those from 'partner countries' - perform additional tasks for NATO, and so will not, in their view, violate the treaty.