It is the interest of NATO and the Russia

After the Poland, the Czech Republic and the Hungary in 1999, seven countries the Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria join today NATO by depositing the instruments of ratification of the Treaty of the North Atlantic, which will have 26 members. In an interview with the "echoes", the Secretary-General of the Alliance, the Dutch Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who succeeded in January to lord Robertson, says that Europe must develop its capacity to defence but in complementarity and without duplication of NATO ".

The seven new members respond militarily to the criteria of the Atlantic Alliance

Yes! The process of restructuring of the armed forces still too concentrated on territorial defence, continues, as with those of other NATO countries. Even if some of them have no large armies, these seven countries have made enormous progress and have developed specialized capabilities. For example, in mine clearance, the Baltic countries already participating in operations in the Balkans or Afghanistan, or even in Iraq, even if this is not a NATO operation.

The new members made the necessary budgetary effort

They do this. Comparison with the France is difficult because it is an exemplary country for its expenditure on defence. But these countries have all the ambition to devote 2 of their GDP. The issue is not only these seven countries. Most of the allies not devote enough resources to defence. Beyond the budget, there is also the question of the use and the manner in which these forces are deployed. Still us have to way to go.

The 26 NATO is ready to expand again

The door is open. Three countries of the Balkans Croatia, Albania, Macedonia participate in the membership action plan and are more willing than others to become a member. But there is still some progress to make.

With enlargement, NATO planes will patrol the skies of the Baltic countries. Against what threat

This is not a question of threat. It's simply to protect, control and monitor this airspace, as all the countries of the world. There is no Baltic air space or Slovenia, but a NATO airspace. In expanding from 19 to 26, it is a kind of automatism. For transparency, I was the first to warn the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov.

Do you have other "thorny issues" with Moscow

I would like to strengthen the partnership with the Russia. It is the interest of NATO and the Russia. The NATO-Russia Council works well and is scheduled to meet April 2. There are areas in which it can cooperate very effectively with the Russians. There are other topics difficult to resolve as the Treaty on conventional forces in Europe (CFE) adapted. The Baltic countries have clearly indicated their intention to sign... If this is possible. The Russia for its part must implement the commitments of Istanbul (Editor's Note: 1999) on the Russian forces in Moldova and Georgia. In a partnership, should not avoid topics that get angry. I hope that President Putin will accept the invitation of NATO to participate in the Summit in Istanbul on June 28 and 29. But not at any price.

In Kosovo, is the crisis of March a failure for NATO

This is not a failure for the Alliance. KFOR has done all it can to prevent these tragic events. But the incidents have been orchestrated, organized and it was virtually impossible for KFOR to have an armoured or a soldier before each House of the minorities, every church, every monastery. NATO however quickly organized reinforcements. It is however always a failure when there are dead, homes destroyed churches. For the political process in Kosovo also. Responsibility to the extremist elements of the Albanian majority in Kosovo and institutions of self government. The latter did not play a rather active role in denouncing these serious incidents.

Are the tensions within the Alliance born of the war in Iraq they overcome

Paris, Berlin, London, Washington signals today are in the right direction. Everyone realizes that a return to what happened in 2003 would be terrible. If a new resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations, to which I am very much in favour, gave mandate to a stabilization force and if a sovereign and legitimate Iraqi Government asks, from July 1 to NATO with the support of the UN to support part of this multinational force, the allies included France could very well give a positive response. At the same time to the important French contribution to the new rapid reaction force Nato Response Force (NRF) , the decision to appoint a general and a French admiral in key positions in the Alliance is a sign of a strengthening of the commitment of the France in NATO.

Europe of defence which is, is there not a certain schizophrenia maintain the Atlantic Alliance

No! NATO is not a schizophrenic organization. I am Atlanticist, but I have a European vocation. In other words, Europe must develop its identity in terms of defence and foreign policy, but complement and not duplicate NATO. For example, it is a good idea to create groups of combat in the European Union. But it is not that European countries derive these battalions on the NRF. The key words are "without duplication" and "complementarity". In this context, Europe may make its responsibilities.

Is the European rapid reaction force still a problem to the NRF

May be the two forces. One might ask also how long it will take to have the European rapid reaction force. Not to mention that the responsibilities and tasks are not the same. The NRF may operate as a combat force if necessary.

In any event, if there is a crisis of some sort, it will be, of course, Council of NATO to discuss. It is always the first scenario. If NATO doesn't want to or cannot respond, it will be more Berlin (Editor's Note: for Europeans access to NATO planning assets) and, finally, if there is not Berlin Plus, it will be the European Union.