Brussels, 12/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - At an invitation from the President of the Portuguese National Assembly, Joao Mota Amaral, the President of the Assembly of the Western European Union/Interim European Assembly for Security and Defence, Klaus Bühler, is to be in Lisbon on 15 and 16 July, thus marking the beginning of the Portuguese WEU Presidency, which took over from Spain on 1 July. While there, Mr Bühler will meet Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio, Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso and Foreign Minister Antonio Martins da Cruz.
A press release stresses that the WEU Assembly "considers it of the utmost importance that the Portuguese Presidency also take steps to ensure that the European Union derives the fullest benefit from WEU's experience with the aim, among other things, of concluding an agreement with NATO on assured access to NATO assets for EU-led operations under the ESDP". Mr Bühler hopes that, "under the Portuguese Presidency, the European governments will look more closely at pressing matters such as armaments cooperation, anti-terrorism and the possible inclusion in the EU Treaty of a collective defence clause (such as the clause to which 10 of the 15 EU Member States have subscribed as members of WEU)". He also regrets that "the Seville EU Summit did not meet expectations on anti-terrorism", and adds that "the EU needs to decide whether ESDP is to be limited to humanitarian aid and peacekeeping missions or whether Europe wants to play a full role in international affairs". In Mr Bühler's view, "the ten WEU countries which are EU Member States should use their experience to help the EU find a way out of what would at present appear to be a deadlock".