NATO confirms Friday meeting with US Secretary of State
The State Department has confirmed that Tillerson would attend the rescheduled NATO talks if they could be held this Friday.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
"Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers moved forward to 31 March," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said on Twitter on Monday.
The NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels had been planned for April 5 and 6, but that was thrown into chaos last week when Tillerson revealed he would not be attending due to other commitments.
Diplomats have worked frantically in recent days to make the new date, with Britain revealing Monday that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will delay a visit to Moscow to fit in with Tillerson.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We have unfortunately had to postpone the foreign secretary’s visit to Russia planned this month due to rescheduling of the NATO foreign ministers meeting," a spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office said.
Johnson has spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, "and looks forward to reinstating his visit as soon as possible," he added.
The rescheduling drama shows the importance attached to Tillerson's first visit to NATO headquarters, amid doubts about the commitment of President Donald Trump's administration to transatlantic ties.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: news@pulselive.co.ke