(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) Brussels, June 04 (QNA) - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has announced the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Belgium as an accredited mission to NATO and its Ambassador as head of the Mission.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his great confidence that this step would benefit the State of Qatar and NATO on practical and political levels, through upgrading institutional work between them, which in turn contributes to strengthening their partnership within the framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) .

The NATO Chief extended congratulations to HE Qatar's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, on this occasion and as first ambassador of Qatar to NATO since its inception.

For his part, HE ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al-Thani stressed the importance of this step, as it would strengthen cooperation between Qatar and NATO in various political and practical areas , and it emphasizes the special place of the State of Qatar at the regional and international levels.(QNA)