Brussels, 03/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - During a meeting with the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Anders Fogh Rasmussen, on Monday 2 April, European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso restated the European Union's commitment to strengthening its relations with NATO. Both leaders hope the next NATO summit to be held in Chicago, on 20-21 May, will be a success, with the successful triggering of the initiative for the pooling and sharing of military capabilities. In Chicago, Rasmussen plans to present about ten projects that can be swiftly achieved, for example in the field of in-flight refuelling, helicopter pilot training and medical assistance. Continuation of the international community's commitment in Afghanistan post-2014 is also hoped for. The president of the Commission and the former Danish prime minister also took stock of other issues of common interest such as cooperation between the EU and NATO in different theatres of operation, in particular Kosovo. (MB/transl.jl)