Brussels, 22/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Union and NATO are to reinforce their cooperation, because they need each other. This conclusion came to light at the exchange of views which took place at the European Parliament on 21 February, between MEPs of the committee on foreign affairs of the European Parliament and representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO. A slight paradox arose in that it was the latter which defended the value of the European Security and Defence Policy of the EU (ESDP) against certain MEPs who showed scepticism on the subject. The movement for NATO's political and military transformation will continue and its involvement in stabilisation operations will become "increasingly important", said the Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Atlantic Alliance, Vahit Erdem of Turkey, who believes that NATO must eventually become "an organisation of world security". With this in mind, relations between the EU and the Alliance must continue to develop within existing frameworks. "After (the Summit of) Riga, and the transformation of NATO, there may be a reform of relations but today, relations between both organisations must come under existing frameworks", he explained. Effective collaboration between both organisations is possible and, above all, useful, said MEP Karl von Wogau (German Christian Democrat), in order for the EU to draw benefit from NATO's "know-how", whilst NATO must "reinforce its links" with the EU. Furthermore, the Europeans must improve their cooperation with each other, particularly in terms of military capabilities. Using five different telecommunications systems for the same battalion, or having 23 different kinds of assault tanks are examples of unhelpful duplications, said the MEP. "At the (European) Parliament, we are not all happy with developments in the European Security and Defence Policy", put in British Conservative member Geoffrey van Orden. In his view, "any support for EU operations will take certain elements away from NATO operations". The time spent by both organisations in thinking about the future of their relationship is "ridiculous", said Mr van Orden, who believes that "everything that the EU does can be done by NATO, even within the EU". The ESDP is "a reality, Europe is not going to go backwards" on this, Vahit Erdem, replied. The ESDP is entirely justified by such assets as its civilian expertise, added Karl Lamers, a German member of the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO, who believes that the example of the Balkans, where the EU has taken over from NATO in order to free up the latter organisation to turn its attention to Afghanistan, "is a good division of tasks" between the two organisations. "The EU needs NATO and NATO needs the EU", concluded the CDU MEP (who together with Wolfgang Schäuble, the idea of a “hard core” in Europe”.