AACHEN, Germany (Reuters) - President Clinton was honored Friday for his contribution to European unity but his German host warned him not to destroy that cohesion as he decides whether to deploy an anti-missile defense system.
Clinton, already warned by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder that
a U.S. national missile defense (NMD) could trigger a new arms
race with Russia, was cautioned by him again after receiving
the prestigious Charlemagne Prize in the war-scarred city of
Aachen.
The comments came before word from Moscow that President Vladimir Putin, who meets Clinton Saturday, might offer to share an alternative Russian anti-missile defense scheme as a way to save the U.S.-Soviet Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty.
Schroeder told Clinton that although it was the Americans' right to ensure their own security, NMD should be debated with European partners.
``As this issue could have effects well beyond the USA, it is in the sense of the alliance that it be treated in a spirit of partnership,'' Schroeder said. ``Among those are the effects on other important states, and also possible consequences for the cohesion of the Atlantic alliance.''
Clinton is the third American, after secretaries of state George Marshall and Henry Kissinger, to receive the prize. Ten previous recipients, including Czech President Vaclav Havel and Spain's King Juan Carlos, joined him on the dais.[Editor's Note - Spain's King Juan Carlos what recently in the US for a conference. No information was given as to what that was about.]
``America must remain Europe's good partner and good ally. America has a permanent interest in a permanent alliance with Europe.'' (Source: Reuters Limited, June 2.2000)