NATO's chief has called on the transatlantic military alliance to develop a new, long-term strategy designed to tackle third-millennium concerns such as cyber attacks, global warming, energy security and nuclear threats, DPA reported. In a speech delivered on Saturday evening in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said allies should also consider improving political dialogue, both among themselves and with NATO's global partners, including Russia and China. And they should also start thinking about increasing NATO's budget to match the "growing list of responsibilities." De Hoop Scheffer said such a new "Strategic Concept" would help better explain its role to the general public and shape "what kind of NATO do we want for the years to come." NATO's current broad strategy dates back to 1999, and the NATO chief says it has become outdated in the light of such events as September 11, the deployment of a major mission in Afghanistan and the threats posed by globalization. "If you are an Estonian, you are clearly worried about the recurrence of massive cyber attacks; if you are a Norwegian, you wonder what the consequences of global warming and the competition for energy resources will be on activities in the high north; if you are a Briton, a Spaniard or a Turk and have witnessed a major terrorist incident in one of your cities, you obviously wonder what is coming next; and if you come from a country with a high degree of energy dependency, you obviously wonder how you are going to cope if supplies are disrupted," he said. NATO's present difficulties in Afghanistan have also highlighted the need to respond to threats not just by military needs, but also through a "comprehensive approach" that should include better coordination with civilian actors, he said.
