Off the wire
• Russia denies dangerous maneuvers of warplanes over Norwegian Sea  • Constitutional amendments approved by majority in Azerbaijan  • U.S. stocks open lower after first presidential debate  • Euro area economy shows resilience after Brexit referendum: ECB chief  • 1st Ld Writethru: China, India agree to step up counterterror cooperation  • China opposes to U.S. charges against Chinese companies  • Kenya mulls incentives to expand shipbuilding industry  • Rwanda eyes deals at Africa hotel investment forum  • Saudi Arabia, Iran diverge over impending informal OPEC meeting in Algiers  • 1st LD-Writethru-China Focus: Major construction of world's longest cross-sea bridge completed  
You are here: 　 Home

NATO chief warns European defence to avoid duplication

Xinhua, September 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said the development of European defence should be complementary to NATO and avoid duplication.

According to a statement published on NATO's website after an informal European Union(EU) Defence Ministers meeting in Bratislava, Stoltenberg stressed the importance of implementing the Joint NATO-EU declaration, which was signed in the margins of the Warsaw Summit.

"I also welcome the debate which is now taking place on how to strengthen the European defence and European defence cooperation," said Stoltenberg in the joint statement with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

"There is no contradiction between strong European defence and a strong NATO," he said, adding "the importance is that we avoid duplication, that it is complimentary".

During the meeting in Bratislava, Stoltenberg met with EU Defence Ministers to discuss stronger cooperation between NATO and EU. Enditem