On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Spain's accession to NATO, the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group No. 2 (SNMCMG-2) held a ceremony act aboard the offshore patrol vessel Meteoro, the group's commanding ship.
The anniversary of our country's incorporation into the North Atlantic Alliance was celebrated by SNMCMG-2, currently commanded by Spain, with a military ceremony, in which the commander of the SNMCMG-2, head of this Group deployed in the Mediterranean sea, Captain Javier Núñez de Prado Aparicio, recalled the values that it defends.
“Last 40 years of Spain belonging to the Atlantic Alliance have been 40 years of prosperity and peace for the Spanish people and this must be celebrated”, stated the COMSNMCMG2.
In his speech, he also explained that NATO is a political-military organization, but above all, it is a defensive organization. The Alliance defends the principles of non-aggression and respect for the sovereignty of States, as well as contributing to security, to which the 'Meteoro', during every day of this deployment, does its bit in deterrence and defence.
At the end of the ceremony, the anthem of the Spanish Navy was sung and a photo of the crew along with the flags of Spain and NATO was taken on deck. In the end, the candles on the cake commemorating 40 years of Spain's permanence in the Alliance were blown out.