By Ayhan Simsek  

BERLIN

A European army cannot be an alternative to NATO, the military alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.  

Stoltenberg cautioned European allies against duplicating military efforts, in an interview with the German weekly Die Zeit, following calls by the French president and German chancellor for the creation of an EU army.  

“The Europeans have already made it clear that their attempts for common defense would reinforce the European pillar of NATO. So long as this continues, I welcome these European efforts,” he said.  

“But a European army cannot be an alternative to NATO. The NATO alliance is already serving as a platform for cooperation between our European allies, such as in Kosovo or in the Aegean Sea,” he added.  

The NATO secretary general stressed that European efforts for common defense should be complimentary to NATO.  

“For me it’s important that the EU would not duplicate what NATO is already doing. I welcome European efforts within NATO. More than 90 percent of EU citizens are living in countries which are also NATO Members. One cannot strengthen European defense, without strengthening NATO,” Stoltenberg said.   

NATO and the EU currently have 22 member countries in common.