Brussels, 06/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - Cooperation, transparency and the need to avoid any duplication between NATO and the European Union was at the centre of Ministerial discussions in the Atlantic Alliance on Tuesday. American Defence Secretary William Cohen warned the EU against the danger of a weakening of the Alliance were a rival military structure to see the light of day in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). "NATO could become a relic of the past if the Fifteen do not develop open and transparent relations with it", he pointed out. Cohen reaffirmed that the United States back the creation of a European rapid reaction force as long as it did not rival NATO, that it did not double planning efforts and that no new bureaucracy was created. To avoid that, Mr. Cohen proposed the setting up of cooperation for joint strategic and operational planning between the 23 States concerned (the Fifteen and the eight NATO countries not members of the EU).
NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson said he shared the opinion by which "duplication and rivalry" between the two organisations would be "very dangerous for both of them". While stressing that a great deal of work remained to be done, he said he had confidence in the forthcoming conclusion of an agreement between NATO and the EU.
French Defence Minister Alain Richard considered that an EU/NATO Cooperation Agreement could be finalised in the first months of 2001. After the Summit of Nice, the document on "permanent arrangements" will be handed to the Alliance, which will have to discuss it, even though the European proposals have already been debated between the two organisations, since July, within four joint working parties. Mr. Richard said that Mr. Cohen's proposal would be examined in the coming weeks.