Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of NATO Secretary General Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer

The President will welcome the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, to the White House on March 25, 2009. The two leaders will discuss preparations for the upcoming 60th anniversary NATO Summit in Germany and France on April 3-4.

The President is committed to NATO and looks forward to reviewing the status and strategy of NATO missions and discussing ways with the Secretary General to ensure that the Alliance remains as important to meeting 21st century security challenges as it was in the 20th century.