8 March 2014 Breakfast meeting with Lord George Robertson

On Saturday morning, 8 March, Dunblane New Golf Club was the venue for a breakfast meeting.

Over 50 members, partners and guests enjoyed a hearty Scottish breakfast before President Colin Strachan introduced Lord Robertson of Port Ellen who was to present a fascinating talk on his time as the 10^th Secretary General of NATO between 1999 and 2004.

Local resident Lord Robertson showed his understanding of the many complicated issues facing the modern world and how NATO plays an active part in resolving many of these issues. NATO currently has 28 nation members, up from the 19 in his days in charge. 

He reflected on the 'surprises' that have affected the globalised world, including the Falklands, Kuwait, Berlin Wall and Afghanistan and spoke of one meeting he had chaired where the meeting broke for lunch and, after lunch, the ambassador of the USSR returned to announce that his country no longer existed.

It was during his tenure that Article 5, which is the heart of NATO's charter, was invoked for the first time, soon after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. Article 5 states that 'The Parties agree an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all'. 

After a lively question session, during which Lord Robertson gave his view on the current Ukraine situation and showed the medal of honour for his knighthood in Ukraine, President Colin gave a vote of thanks for a memorable and enlightening presentation.