Brussels, 18/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the NATO summit in Lisbon (19-20 November), Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative, hopes strategic partnership will be reinforced between the EU and NATO, mainly by identifying the main concerns that oppose Turkey and Cyprus. In a letter sent to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on 15 November, she writes: “Like you, I attach great importance to moving EU-NATO relations forward. Our goal should be to find practical solutions to wider structural problems that have hindered the development of a true organisation-to-organisation relationship between the EU and NATO without discrimination among NATO Allies or EU member states”. Despite the progress already made with a view to strengthening cooperation between the two organisations, “we both have the ambition to do more”, Catherine Ashton states. She said they should therefore work closely together with Cyprus and Turkey to “identify possible ways to address the key concerns on both sides”, going on to add that common goals will be pursued in order to enhance the EU-NATO strategic partnership. (A.By./transl.jl)