Ottawa, 21/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - As we mentioned in yesterday's EUROPE, the EU and Canada adopted a joint declaration in Ottawa on security and defence in which they reaffirm that "NATO remains the essential foundation of the collective defence of its members and will continue to play an essential role in crisis-management". At the same time, Canada "welcomes the decisive progress made in the elaboration of the European security and defence policy" (see EUROPE of 18/19 December, p.3, for the assurances the United States provided along these lines at the Washington Summit). In their declaration, the EU and Canada undertake to deepen their dialogue on these issues.
At his press conference in Ottawa with Commission President Prodi and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, President Chirac said that the relationship between the EU and Canada was "an increasingly essential element (…) in transatlantic relations". The EU and Canada discussed the American National Missile Defence project (NMD, for which future Vice-President Cheney is one of the most ardent supporters), and, speaking to the press in Ottawa, Jacques Chirac said that this project "would risk leading to a powerful resumption of nuclear proliferation", whereas Jean Chretien said that "we have questions to ask of the United States, we fear that this project may lead to the revival of the arms race".