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NATO Chief Plays Down NATO-EU conflict
NATO Chief George Robertson played down a major point of contention between NATO and the European Union (EU) over the EU's newly-established military force.
Robertson told the press after the first session of meetings between foreign ministers of NATO countries that, contrary to popular belief, the heated debate between the EU and NATO over the military command structure was not the only issue discussed at the two-day meeting.
The ministers also discussed peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina, he said.
Robertson described the re-defining of relations between the transatlantic military alliance and the 15-nation European bloc as "the most complex project" in NATO history.
"I'm confident that a solution will be found in due time," said the NATO chief.
The Brussels council meeting of NATO foreign ministers was expected to focus on how to redefine the EU-NATO relationship after the EU's recent endorsement of an ambitious plan for establishing a 60,000-strong rapid reaction force commanded by the Union to cope with crises.
France, which is presiding over the European Union until the end of the year, stressed that the EU rapid reaction force should have a military command system independent of that of the United States-led NATO.
The United States is already worried by the establishment of a European Union rapid reaction force. EU member states and applicant countries have joined together to contribute 100,000 troops and 400 warplanes to the EU force.
Americans have warned the Europeans that too much independence would turn NATO into a historic "relic."
When asked what was the most thorny issue at the NATO foreign ministers council, Robertson said it was concern over the six non-EU NATO countries from Europe -- Turkey, Iceland, Norway, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
These countries were reluctant to let non-NATO EU countries share the NATO command assets.
Robertson said that because of the recent European Union summit in France and the year-end NATO foreign ministers council meeting in Brussels, pillars for new transatlantic relations are now in place.
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