DATE=5/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NATO MINISTERS (L)
NUMBER=2-262759
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=FLORENCE
CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   NATO foreign ministers meeting in Italy have 
expressed concern about a proposed U-S missile defense 
system.  V-O-A's Ron Pemstein has this report from the 
NATO ministers meeting in Florence.

TEXT:  The foreign ministers of France and Germany 
have raised questions about the perceived missile 
threat the United States sees from so-called rogue 
states like North Korea or Iran.  

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine expressed 
concern about potential repercussions from Russia's 
refusal to adjust the 1972 Anti-Ballistic missile 
treaty.

The United States has been seeking adjustments to the 
treaty to allow development of the proposed U-S 
missile defense.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer says negative 
signals will be sent by any U-S decision that ignores 
Russia's opposition.

NATO Secretary-General George Robertson says that 
despite the concerns, European members of NATO 
appreciated the assurances given by Secretary of State 
Madeleine Albright that negotiations with Russia are 
still in progress.

            ///  ROBERTSON ACT  ///

      It isn't a secret for me to tell you that there 
      are some reservations about missile defense 
      among some of the European allies.  That is 
      known.  But they are being dealt with in a 
      constructive way.  And the president of the 
      United States made it clear to me last November 
      and Mrs. Albright made it crystal clear again 
      today that the United States is interested in 
      the views of all of the allies in NATO.

            ///  END ACT  ///

President Clinton has still  not  decided to go ahead 
with the limited missile defense program, but 
Secretary of State Albright told her colleagues a 
decision on deployment is possible later this year.  
The Europeans are worried about the expense of 
matching the missile defense system and the chance 
that arms control treaties could unravel.

/// rest opt ///

Later, speaking to reporters, the Secretary of State 
says she does  not  believe Russia's opposition to 
changing the Anti-Ballistic missile treaty is the 
reason the Europeans are worried.

            ///  ALBRIGHT ACT  ///

      We have been briefing them and they need to 
      understand that the N-M-D (National Missile 
      Defense) system is  not  directed against them, 
      that it is designed to deal with these new 
      threats that we have identified, and I think 
      they need to absorb that lesson.  How their 
      thinking and that of the Europeans is connected 
      is hard for me to tell.

            ///  END ACT  ///

The NATO ministers also talked about the European 
Union's plan to develop its own military capacity for 
operations where the NATO alliance does  not  want to 
become involved.

The foreign ministers praised the European Union for 
agreeing to consult the six European NATO members who 
are  not  members of the Union.  Turkey, Norway, and 
Iceland have been concerned about the E-U requesting 
NATO equipment without taking their views into 
account.  (Signed) 

NEB/RDP/JWH



24-May-2000 12:50 PM EDT (24-May-2000 1650 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.