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EU Stresses Need to Maintain Multilateral Deal on Missile Defense
The 15-nation European Union (EU) said June 16 that it is necessary to maintain strict enforcement of the bloc's national export controls and reinforce the multilateral non-proliferation and export control regimes.
This was seen as the EU's clear response to missile defense, including US plans for a global missile defense shield.
At a summit meeting in Goteborg, Sweden's major port city, the EU leaders said strengthening international norms and political instruments to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery is of prime importance to the EU.
"We are committed to contributing to the achievement of this goal," they said in the Declaration on Prevention of Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles.
As for the particular challenge posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles, the leaders said the commitment should be complemented by a global and multilateral approach.
Analysts here hold that the EU stance explicitly rejects the US missile defense plans proposed by the new administration of President George W. Bush.
"We are of the view that the European Union, which is committed to the reinforcement of disarmament and non-proliferation multilateral instruments, should play a leading role in contributing to these efforts," the EU declaration said.
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