BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (NNN-KUNA) — The chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, has said here that the Alliance is in discussion with a Gulf state to deploy AWACS planes for reconnaissance mission over Afghanistan in support of its ISAF mission and also for anti-piracy off Somalia.

“The Alliance is close to closing the basic issue with one of the Gulf country,” he said in reply to a question during a press conference Wednesday following a two-day meeting of NATO’S military chiefs. Di Pialo did not mention the name of the country.

“We are looking forward to be in a position to follow on the temporary deployment that we have today in Oman with a more permanent long-term deployment,” he said.

The issue has been proposed and discussed, but no decision has been taken because there is an issue of cost-effectiveness in this difficult financial moment, noted the top NATO military official.

“The Military Committee has to look at this more carefully and when they come up with additional element we will propose it to the political leadership,” he said.

“There is also a role for long-range air surveillance in the fight against piracy,” he added.

The two-day meeting concentrated on Afghanistan, Kosovo and NATO’s New Strategic Concept. Army chiefs and top military officials from 62 nations including NATO partner countries and non-NATO countries contributing troops to ISAF were in attendance.

– NNN-KUNA