EU Foreign Policy, Integration

Fri Feb 11, 6:34 AM ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) firmly supports the European Union's emerging common foreign policy and Washington will welcome further EU integration, the Financial Times quoted her as saying on Friday.

At the end of a foreign trip which took her to several capitals of the 25-nation bloc, Rice said there was no conflict between a strong Atlantic alliance and greater European unity.

But she acknowledged concerns among some of President Bush's administration that the EU may develop as a rival to Washington as its nascent common foreign policy develops.


The bloc has been working to develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy since 1999, and its forays into peacekeeping operations have aroused suspicions in Washington that the EU is seeking to challenge the U.S.-dominated defense alliance, NATO.


EU leaders have agreed a constitutional treaty for the bloc which will create a new post of foreign minister.


Current EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is due to become EU foreign minister in 2007 if the treaty is ratified by all 25 member states, which is seen as far from certain as it will have be approved by a referendum in several countries.


"As Europe unifies further and has a common foreign policy -- I understand what is going to happen with the constitution and that there will be unification, in effect, under a foreign minister -- I think that also will be a very good development," Rice was quoted as saying.


"We have to keep reminding everybody that there is not any conflict between a European identity and a transatlantic identity."

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