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US says EU defence plan a threat to NATO

IRNA

Brussels, Oct 18, IRNA -- The US has demanded an emergency meeting of 
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) over fears that EU`s 
defence ambitions will undermine the trans-Atlantic alliance. 
The move was prompted by stormy exchanges within the alliance in 
Brussels on Wednesday when US Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns 
pinpointed American reservations over the direction of Europe`s 
defence cooperation, the "EUpolitix" website reported. 
According to other press reports, Burns told his NATO counterparts
that the EU`s push for greater military independence represented "the 
most significant threat to NATO`s future." 
Washington is believed to be concerned at the recent willingness 
of UK premier Tony Blair to sign up to Franco-German plans for an EU 
headquarters separate from NATO. 
French ambassador to NATO Benoit D`Aboville reportedly told Burns 
that NATO had no right to information about internal EU matters until 
they were agreed upon by its members. 
EU leaders met here Thursday night to discuss how to make European
defence more effective in the future constitutional treaty, also 
raising concerns in the US of unwanted competition to NATO. 
Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg want to establish a 
European military headquarters near Brussels independent of NATO. 
NK/210 
End