Europe should leave NATO: Prodi

EUROPE should abandon the NATO alliance if it wants to have a meaningful say in world affairs, European Commission President Romano Prodi said yesterday.

Mr Prodi praised Germany, France and Belgium for starting “a timely and good” debate on a European defence undertaking outside of NATO to ease Europe’s reliance on America for its security. Mr Prodi urged other EU nations to join them.

“It is evident the Iraq crisis has brought us to a new crossroads in transatlantic relations,” he said in Brussels. “We must choose a different path.”