Key Post In Lisbon

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31736, 20 July 1968, Page 13

Key Post In Lisbon

(N.Z P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LISBON, July 19. With the Soviet Union stepping up its naval strength in the Mediterranean, the United States has appointed a senior naval intelligence officer to a key post in Lisbon. Rear Admiral E. Fluckey, the 55-year-old Assistant Chief of Naval Operations and Director of Naval Intelligence at the Pentagon, has become head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Iberian command in Lisbon.

He took over the post this month from Rear Admiral S. Miller, the commander of this southern arm of N.A.T.O. since it was founded 16 months ago. Like his predecessor, who has retired, Admiral Fluckey also assumed command, at the same time, of the Military Assistance Advisory Group of the United States, which handles problems connected with direct United States military assistance to Portugal. But the job of N.A.T.O. Iberian command is considered more vital in view of the increasing Soviet naval power in the Mediterranean and what is seen as N.A.T.O.’s

need to meet an ensuing potential threat to Western naval communications. According to reports in Lisbon, the Soviet Navy now has a slightly bigger force than that of the United States Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Since the Arab-Israeli War last year, the Russians have stepped up their naval presence, and have had the unprecedented facility of using shore supply bases at Port Said and Alexandria. Previously, Soviet ships had to rely on floating supply bases accompanying Mediterranean naval units. The Iberian command of N.A.T.0., which control the western approach to the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar, is called on to

play an important role. This mainly consists, in case of conflict, in sealing off the Strait of Gibraltar to enemy ships, and in safeguarding Western convoy routes in and out of the Mediterranean. The command is still in a pre-operational stage, with only 10 N.A.T.O. officers as a nucleus staff. Plans provide for a staff of about 130 by 1970. Meanwhile, other plans such as the building of a transmitting and receiving station, and of a permanent command headquarters in an 18th century fortress on the coast 20 miles west of Lisbon are being actively pursued. The total cost of projects connected with the establishment of the command is estimated at SUS4j million.