LONDON Britain hit back at critics of its European policy on Sunday, saying a regional Rapid Reaction Force posed no threat to NATO and veto rights on key issues would not be surrendered at a summit in France next month.
The government has come under fire from the opposition and some media for preparing to cede control to Europe over key areas, including defense and tax.
Britain's commitment of 12,500 troops to a 60,000-strong European Rapid Reaction Force has been particularly controversial after former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher described the plan as "monumental folly".
But Foreign Secretary Robin Cook reiterated his view that the new force, to be deployed by 2003 for crisis management and humanitarian purposes, would not undermine NATO as feared.
"It will only be used by Europe if NATO ... decides not to be involved," he told BBC's Breakfast With Frost Program on Sunday.
"The first call will be NATO, and if NATO does decide to lead the operation, then these forces will be available to NATO.
That is why it strengthens NATO, not undermines it." In a show of unity, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wrote a joint article in Sunday's Observer with Cook to underline Washington's backing for the European capability.
While Britain's strategic defense review had committed the country to a real defense spending increase for the first time in 15 years, Europe as a whole still needed to do more to strengthen its contributions to NATO missions, they wrote.
"It also should assume greater responsibility for common security and defense and act quickly and effectively in fast-breaking crises," the article said.
Cook said Britain's ruling Labour Party appeared to be winning the political argument over the Rapid Reaction Force at home, in spite of a traditionally Euroskeptic public.
He quoted an opinion poll in the Mail on Sunday newspaper showing that 55 percent backed the force.
Euro Currency Less Popular But the same poll revealed far less enthusiasm among Britons for the euro, with only 23 percent in favor of ditching the pound to join the single European currency.
Cook said the government backed the euro in principle and would put the issue to a referendum if it believed the necessary economic conditions had been met.
He also sought to appease fears that Britain would give up key powers to Europe at a critical EU summit in Nice, France next month.
Britain is likely to come under intense pressure to surrender its right to veto in areas like tax, defense, border controls, EU treaty changes and social security policy.
Many member states argue that introducing majority voting on such issues would speed up the union's development and help its expansion to include former communist countries like Poland.
But Cook said the government had outlined six areas where it would refuse to budge, including tax and social security.
"Particularly to take the case of tax and social security we believe that these are very important parts of the national characteristic.
It is important that they should be resolved by national parliaments and their governments." (Reuter)