Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany), June 11: US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld called today for trans-Atlantic unity to deal with the threats of weapons of mass destruction, rogue states, and terrorism, on his first trip to Germany since the Iraq war. In a speech prepared for delivery at a Pentagon-run studies center, Rumsfeld said the new Nato countries were taking the lead in injecting a fresh vision to the old Atlantic alliance.
"It is a matter of attitude, of the vision the countries bring to the trans-Atlantic relationship," he said. "Many nations in Europe, but not all, correctly see the nexus of terror and weapons of mass destruction as the biggest threat and recognise that trans-Atlantic unity is more critical than ever if we are to successfully deal with that threat,” Rumsfeld said.
"Some want to define themselves by their opposition to the United States -- as some sort of 'counterweight' to America. Most reject the argument that they must choose between Europe and America and recognise that a robust trans-Atlantic relationship is not only compatible with European integration but critical to our mutual security," he said. He did not allude directly to France in the speech. But in a talk with students, he acknowledged "bumps on the road" in relations with Paris. Bureau Report