North Atlantic Treaty Organization
November 19, 2013
NATO Secretary General attends EU talks on European security and defence policy
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen discussed efforts to strengthen the European Union’s security and defence policy at a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers on Tuesday (19 November 2013). The meeting comes ahead of a key European Council in December which will focus on defence issues. The Secretary General has described the summit as a unique opportunity to enhance European defence capabilities.
Mr. Fogh Rasmussen has called for even closer ties between the EU and NATO, “to coordinate, not duplicate,” and to ensure that the two organisations complement each other’s efforts. He has also urged EU member states to maintain investment in defence, and to continue addressing capability gaps, stating that “we need to develop capabilities, not bureaucracies; to commit to investing in security in those areas where we all need more capabilities, such as drones for surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance, heavy transport and air-to-air refuelling.” The December summit will be the first to discuss defence and security issues since the European Union Lisbon Treaty came into force in 2009.
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