The Dutch and Russian navies have taken steps to strengthen their maritime ties. On behalf of Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Vice Admiral Matthieu Borsboom, signed a Letter of Intent with his Russian counterpart Admiral Victor Chirkov, in St Petersburg.
The agreement lays the foundation for an enhancement of the bilateral maritime cooperation in areas such as hydrography, submarine escape and the combined fight against piracy. Borsboom and Chirkov also discussed Russian participation in the submarine rescue exercise Bold Monarch and various other activities, which are being organised as part of the Netherlands-Russia friendship year 2013.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, March 13, 2013; Image: Dutch MoD