French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday voiced support for a beefed-up NATO military alliance but also echoed German calls for reinforced ties between the U.S. and the European Union. "The Atlantic alliance is and will remain a fundamental element of our collective security," Chirac told NATO leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush. A text of his speech to the Alliance summit was obtained by dpa. "Faced with new challenges, the world needs a strong Alliance," the French leader said. But Chirac also underlined the defense ambitions of the European Union (E.U) - which are eyed suspiciously by the U.S. - saying the Alliance would benefit from a "stronger and more united Europe." Chirac said he supported German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder who earlier this month said the transatlantic alliance must take account of changes taking place in Europe. "Europe and the U.S. are real partners. We must talk and listen more to each other," said Chirac who led European opposition to the Iraq war, prompting a long chill in relations between Paris and Washington. However, in what will clearly be a disappointment to U.S. President George W. Bush, Chirac did not make any new commitments to helping stabilize Iraq. Both France and Germany have refused to send troops to Iraq but are participating in a NATO training mission for Iraqi forces.
