NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg Warns EU Over Defence Pact
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published February 13, 2018 | 07:12 PM
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday warned the EU its new defence cooperation pact must not undermine the alliance, as US officials voiced fresh concerns about the flagship initiative
Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Feb, 2018 ) :NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday warned the EU its new defence cooperation pact must not undermine the alliance, as US officials voiced fresh concerns about the flagship initiative.
The European Union launched the scheme with great fanfare in December, touting it as a way to get member states to work more closely post-Brexit and spend more effectively on defence projects. But the plan has come under fire in recent days from US officials who fear it could draw resources away from NATO and even become a "protectionist" umbrella for European defence manufacturers.
Stoltenberg, speaking on the eve of a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, said there was "no way" the EU could replace the transatlantic alliance in guaranteeing European security. Efforts to boost European defence spending were welcome, he said, but only if they were coordinated with NATO plans.
"It will be absolutely without any meaning if NATO and the EU start to compete," the former Norwegian premier told reporters. "European allies are absolutely aware that the defence, the protection of Europe is dependent on NATO." The EU's so-called permanent structured cooperation on defence agreement, known as PESCO, has projects in view already to develop new military equipment and improve cooperation and decision-making.
But on Sunday Katie Wheelbarger, a senior official at the US Department of Defense, said Washington regarded some of the proposed initiatives as "pulling resources or capabilities away from NATO".
And the US stepped up its criticism on Monday, with Ambassador to NATO Kay Baliey Hutchison warning the EU there could be serious consequences if it shut US defence companies out of cooperation projects.
"Certainly we do not want this to be a protectionist vehicle for the EU and we're going to watch carefully because if that becomes the case then it could splinter the strong security alliance that we have," she told reporters.
"We want the Europeans to have capabilities and strength but not to fence off American products or Norwegian products or potentially UK products." Britain, which is leaving the EU, is one of only three member states along with Denmark and Malta not to sign up to the pact.
Under the rules of the cooperation agreement, as a non-EU state Britain will be able to take part in specific missions but will have no decision-making role.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
4 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
4 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
4 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
4 hours ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
4 hours ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
4 hours ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
4 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
4 hours ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
5 hours ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
5 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
5 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
5 hours ago