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. NATO urges EU, US to coordinate Iran pressure
BRUSSELS (AFP) Jan 21, 2005
NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Friday that Europe and the United States must coordinate a "carrot and stick" approach to Iran over its nuclear plans.

The issue may very well be discussed when US President George W. Bush comes to Brussels next month for summits at NATO and with the European Union, he added.

"It's of the utmost importance that the European Union and the United States of America see eye to eye on Iran. Only this way can we prevent that nations or alliances can be played out against each other," he said.

"What we need is an approach where there's the carrot but also the stick. And I hope that the European Union and the United States of America can both use the carrot and the stick," he told reporters.

Bush said this week that he could not rule out military action if Iran could not be persuaded to abandon a nuclear energy programme which Washington believes is a cover for developing the bomb.

But the EU's "big three" -- Britain, France and Germany -- are holding crucial talks with Iran aimed at finding a long-term solution to allay international fears about the nuclear programme.

De Hoop Scheffer said that Iran will not be on the formal agenda of a February 22 summit at the alliance, but said he would not be surprised if it is discussed when Bush visits Brussels.

"They might very well discuss" Iran, he said, adding: "The important thing is that on Iran the European Union and the United States of America find each other."

During his Brussels visit the US president will attend a NATO summit in the morning, before meeting the EU's Luxembourg presidency in the afternoon.

Both NATO and the EU were deeply divided over the 2003 Iraq war. Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic have vowed to turn the page on the dispute, and are hoping that this month's Iraq elections will be a new step in doing so.

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