Powell, Cook paint positive picture of European defense force

Cook, left, and Powell

In this story: Powell: New force would strengthen NATO Blair scheduled to meet Bush RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Elise Labott, State Department Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States played down concerns Tuesday that creation of a European defense force would weaken NATO.

Following a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed confidence that the U.S. and its European allies would be able to reach a "common understanding" on the plan.

The European countries have proposed the creation of a rapid reaction force to handle security crises in Europe, mostly of a humanitarian or peackeeping nature.

Powell said the administration of new President George W. Bush had a "very good understanding" of what the European security and defense initiative is, and how it will increase European military capacity.

"We support that goal," Powell said.

Powell: New force would strengthen NATO

Powell brushed off comments made last week in Berlin by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that such a force could undermine NATO.

"There's no reason to see this as destabilizing NATO in any way," Powell said at a joint news conference with Cook. "In fact, I think it is our common belief that it will strengthen NATO."

But the approval was conditional on the idea that the all-European force must be "firmly embedded in NATO." In addition to offering NATO the right of refusal for any mission, Powell said existing NATO planning capabilities couldn't be duplicated by the creation of such a force and the force must augment the overall military capacity of both NATO and the European Union.

Cook said the force would be "firmly anchored within NATO" and would not engage in "wasteful duplication" of military capacities.

"A European operation will only occur where NATO, as a whole, has decided not to act," Cook said.

Responding to concerns about U.S. plans to deploy a national missile defense system, Powell promised to consult with European allies, Russia and China and to "demonstrate ... that this is a very sensible concept."

Blair scheduled to meet Bush

"I think if we can make that case, then everybody will want to play a part and play a role in missile defense," Powell said

Cook expressed confidence that the Europeans will be sufficiently consulted as U.S. plans for a missile defense move forward.

"The whole point of me being here is to establish a basis for frank, open dialogue of mutual trust between us," he said.

Cook was in also in Washington to lay the groundwork for a summit later this month between President Bush and Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister.

He said he and Powell were in agreement that the Libyan government must take responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, for which one of its security officers was found guilty, and pay compensations to the victims families.

But the countries are not in agreement on how to get Libya to do that. The U.S. has maintained unilateral sanctions against Libya, while Britain has normalized relations with the country. Cook said Britain would use its diplomatic relations as "a means of communication" to press the Libyan government.

The two also discussed the Middle East and urged the Israelis, Palestinians and Arab leaders to avoid violence and let new Israeli government time to get settled.

They also talked about Iraq. Cook said U.S. and British officials would meet during the coming weeks to ensure policy coordination toward crushing Saddam Hussein's weapons program.

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U.S. Department of State
U.K. Cabinet Office

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