Brussels, 17/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen trusts that European leaders will, during the European Council on Thursday and Friday, undertake to step up their defence cooperation. In an interview with AFP, he states that the Atlantic Alliance is not a rival of the EU.
Rasmussen hopes to see a clear commitment on the part of the European Union to invest more in the military capabilities that need it most, such as observation drones or in-flight refuelling. Major shortfalls, he said, had been noted during intervention in Libya. He believes that the financial crisis must be considered as an opportunity for promoting cooperation because it will become increasingly difficult for European countries to act on their own when acquiring high-tech military equipment, which is highly expensive.
The NATO secretary general takes the view that more coordination is needed between NATO and the European Union. One should not forget that 22 countries belong to those two organisations, each composed of 28 members. He went on to explain that, as these countries each have an army and a budget, duplicating programmes would mean bad management and waste. They must therefore be complementary, he said. For example, he went on, if the EU gives priority to strengthening in-flight refuelling capabilities, there would be no need for NATO to commit itself in this field.
One might ask whether Europeans should fear the strategic priority given by the United States to Asia?
It is in Europe's interest, Rasmussen said, for the United States to undertake more in the Asia-Pacific region due to the rise in power of emerging countries like China. He did not believe, however, that this shift will be to the detriment of the transatlantic link, as the United States will remain engaged in Europe's security, as can be seen by heavy US investment in the NATO anti-missile defence system. In this context, he considers it legitimate that the Americans should call on Europeans to invest more in their defence means. (LC/transl.jl)