Iraq War Opponents Establishing Separate Defense Mechanism

The summit’s four-page closing declaration along with statements issued by the four leaders stressed that their plan should not be regarded as anti-NATO or as a competitor to NATO. The leaders noted that their proposal was open to the 15 EU member-countries and also to the 10 nations that will join the EU next May.

French President Jacques Chirac, who attracted attraction with his anti-U.S. posture prior to and during the Iraq war, was showered with questions after yesterday’s meeting. Chirac said he had no intention of building a second NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Europe. German Prime Minister Gerhard Schroeder said the United States had complained about not finding any phone numbers to call in the EU and that now the EU was trying to create such a number.

Selcuk Gultasli / Brussels / BELGIUM