NATO ready to cooperate with EU in Darfur

HELSINKI, Sept 9 (AFP) — NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said here Thursday that the alliance could work together with the EU to help resolve the crisis in Sudan’s war-torn province of Darfur.

“The European Union has taken action in response to the mounting humanitarian crisis in Darfur. With regard to that troubled African region, as well, our two organisations might usefully complement each other,” he said in a speech at a Finnish foreign policy think-tank.

“I believe that we have to think creatively how we can work together. For example, by giving logistic or other assistance to the African Union, if it would ask,” he said.

The African Union has several hundred troops in Darfur monitoring a shaky ceasefire.

Up to 50,000 people have died in the conflict in Darfur between rebel groups and government forces, with more than a million displaced from their homes, according to UN figures.

In his speech, which dealt with the US-led alliance’s future role, de Hoop Scheffer also highlighted the Middle East and Afghanistan as areas where the EU and NATO could do more together.

“We should broaden NATO-EU cooperation gradually and pragmatically. Our common aim should be to cooperate in all areas where our interests coincide, and where both institutions can complement each other,” de Hoop Scheffer said.

“There are many more areas where closer NATO-EU cooperation would be appropriate. Combating terrorism, coping with the spread of weapons of mass destruction, or improving military capabilities,” he noted.

The secretary general was on a one-day visit to Helsinki, where he met with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.

He was due to travel on to neighbouring Sweden on Friday.