(ANSA) - Naples, March 27 - The Allied Joint Force Command
Naval base on the island of Nisida off the coast of Naples
officially closed on Wednesday after 40 years of activity.
The base's 180 military from 19 countries, 30 of whom are
Italian, will be transferred to the NATO interforce command base
opened in Lago Patria near Naples last December or back to their
country of origin.
Most of the command activities will be transferred to a
base in Northwood, Great Britain.
Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris said at the flag-lowering
ceremony that the move did not represent "an act of abandonment"
by NATO forces in Naples.
Last December the NATO Command base in Bagnoli located in
the eastern periphery of the city of Naples that had been
operational since 1954 was closed down and personnel moved to
the Lago Patria base.
"As in the case of the former NATO headquarters in
Bagnoli, the (Italian) Navy will leave its control and logistics
in place (on Nisida).
A State presence here is important," de Magistris said.
A State presence here is important," de Magistris said.
