Paris, 6 December 2000.- French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin Wednesday underscored the attachment of France to the WEU as part of the new European security and defence arrangement.

Addressing the WEU-ESDA Assembly for the French European Union (EU) presidency, Jospin said that France had two aims for the WEU : to adjust it to the European security and defence policy and to « preserve in your organisation all that should be » preserved.

He pinpointed Article V of the WEU Treaty, which « no signatory countries—and certainly not France—intends to give up. » The WEU must continue to promote debate among European states on the future of security, he said. « France is very attached » to the principle « that the WEU parliamentary Assembly remains a place where the European defence culture is formed. »

There is no question of parliamentary control of crisis management by the European Union at the moment, Jospin said. « We support the idea of maintaining » the competence of national parliaments, the European parliament and the Assembly for the time being.« We must maintain this balanced approach, » he added.

Mr. Jospin also noted that the EU summit in Nice, which opens Thursday, would vote on new institutions for the 15 nations « and autonomous military capacities. »