US SECRETARY of state Hillary Clinton has called for closer co-operation between the EU and Nato, arguing that the Lisbon Treaty provides a platform for deeper ties with the military alliance.
She reaffirmed the US’s commitment to European security in a speech at the French military academy in Paris and stepped up pressure on China to support moves in the UN to impose new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Answering a question from her audience, Mrs Clinton said EU’s energy policy in particular would benefit from closer co-ordination with Nato. “They are no longer separated. It’s hard to say that security is only about what it was when Nato was formed and the EU has no role to play in security issues,” she said.
“These, of course, are decisions for the Europeans to make with respect to the EU.”
Mrs Clinton said she recognised that national differences must be respected, “even in the time of greater European integration”.
However, the complexity of today’s world was such that the development of common policies would serve the EU and Nato. In this respect the EU would concentrate on economic, development and political issues while Nato would deal mainly with security.
“Take, for example, energy security,” she said. “It would be the EU’s responsibility to create policies that would provide more independence and protection from intimidations when it comes to energy markets for its member nation. But I can also see how, in certain cases respecting energy, there may be a role for Nato as well.”
While it was important to respect and honour “foundation institutions”, she said questions should be asked about how they could function better.
Citing moves to reform Nato, Mrs Clinton said reforms at EU level would make co-operation with the military alliance easier.
“Under the Lisbon Treaty, with more focus and specific leadership attached to foreign policy and development assistance, there will be a way to better co-ordinate,” she said.
Although “some questions” had been raised in recent months about the depth of Washington’s commitment to Europe, she said European security was “an anchor” of US foreign policy.
US military forces will remain on the European continent to “deter attacks and to respond quickly” if any occur, she said.
The US will maintain its “unwavering commitment” to article five of the Nato treaty, “that an attack on one is an attack on all”.
While China is resisting new UN sanctions against Iran, Mrs Clinton said Beijing was coming under pressure to recognise that a nuclear-armed regime would have a destabilising impact on the Gulf region.
She urged China’s leaders to consider the longer-term implications of Iran’s nuclear programme, adding that she would tell them the West understands “that right now it seems counterproductive to you to sanction a country from which you get so much +of the natural resources your growing economy needs”.