09/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - President Jacques Chirac reaffirmed his country's resolve in favour of European defence on Thursday during the armed forces greetings ceremony. Mr Chirac recalled it is fundamental for the EU to be able to intervene when NATO cannot (or does not want to) do so. "This is why we are relentless in pursuing the construction of a European security and defence policy, in full transparency with NATO, but with firmness and determination", he said. Mr Chirac also pointed out that France wished to play a "significant" role in NATO's New Response Force (NRF). "At the Istanbul Summit (Ed.: in June), I shall recall France's attachment to the Atlantic Alliance", he went on, adding: "I shall also recall that France conceives its commitments in the EU and in the Alliance as perfectly compatible. There is no opposition between NATO and the European Union, and there cannot be opposition".