Four Euros seek military union

last updated 8 January 2015

Brussels

Four E.U. countries that were strongly against the Iraq war met in Brussels this week to discuss forging closer military ties. Leaders from Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg did not invite their pro-war counterparts from Italy, the U.K., and Spain—and the snub threatened to cause yet another intra-European quarrel. “If the embryo of an increased military cooperation were to develop in Brussels,” said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, “I would regard it with a very critical eye.” And British Prime Minister Tony Blair said neither Britain nor the rest of Europe would accept any alliance “that undermines NATO.”