Defense Minister Pistorius has opened a headquarters of the German Navy in Rostock to support NATO.
It is intended to help the alliance monitor the Baltic Sea region. The base will play a crucial role in protecting Member States against aggression, said the SPD politician. This applies in particular to the proximity to Russia. Pistorius emphasized that no NATO troops were stationed in Rostock.
This does not violate the two-plus-four contract. In 1990 the agreement stipulated that only German armed forces and no foreign ones may be stationed in the area of the former GDR.
The new headquarters has the task of planning maritime operations and training projects as well as leading naval forces assigned by NATO. The base is run by a German admiral, his deputy comes from Poland.