GERMANY: Nato secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has called for reform of the transatlantic body through strategic partnerships, possibly with Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, writes Derek Scally in Berlin
He will expand on the case for a "transformation" of Nato to 300 delegates of the World Security Conference in Munich, which will be officially opened by Chancellor Angela Merkel this morning.
"Nato is no world police force and neither should it develop the ambition to become one," said Mr de Hoop Scheffer to the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper yesterday. In another interview he said Japan and South Korea had "shown clear interest in closer co-operation with Nato".
His remarks were welcomed by German defence minister Franz Josef Jung, who said it was vital to "hold strategic political talks" about the alliance. "Europe cannot be allowed to develop as a counterbalance to Nato. Nato is our protection shield," he said.
Nato officials told the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the discussion of new partnerships had "picked up momentum" in recent months. It could receive the green light at the Nato summit in Riga in November and be put in place by the time of Nato's 60th anniversary in 2009, the newspaper reported.
The future role of Nato will be a central theme of this year's Munich conference, attended by US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, as well as colleagues from Russia, France, Britain and others.
Mr de Hoop Scheffer said it was not realistic to suggest membership for countries like Australia or Israel. "We are talking of partnership, not membership," he said.
He also called for closer structural relationship between Nato and the UN and said Nato's mission in Afghanistan remained the body's highest priority.