NATO-EU to cooperate further, says alliance chief

By Serife Cetin and Sarp Ozer

BRUSSELS (AA) – NATO and European Union plan to sign a new joint declaration to strengthen cooperation, said the alliance's chief on Friday.

“In July, I plan to sign a new joint declaration with [European Council] President [Donald] Tusk and [European Commission] President [Jean-Claude] Juncker,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters following the meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in Defense Ministers' session.

“Over the past two years, NATO and the European Union have achieved an unprecedented level of cooperation,” he said.

He said that the EU and NATO “share interests and challenges” as more than 90 percent of EU citizens live in a NATO country.

“So we have been working together on 74 concrete areas of cooperation. Including hybrid and cyber, maritime operations, fighting terrorism, exercises and military mobility and women, peace and security,” he added.

Turkey’s Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli attended the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in Defense Ministers' session.

Canikli later met with Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne.