16/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - Unfortunately, according to CDU member Karl von Wogau, the European Convention has missed an opportunity to open the road to European defence. Mr von Wogau reproaches the Convention for its lack of courage regarding the extension of qualified majority to foreign and security policy, and regrets the timidity of the mutual assistance clause that it proposes. The members of the Western European Union are under an obligation to provide assistance in the event of attack against another Member State, and it is difficult to understand that the European Union, which is an even closer Union, should hesitate to adopt such a clause, the German MEP said.