Paris, 20 June 2001 – The WEU Assembly-ESDA-Wednesday urged the WEU Council of Ministers to draw up”a common position on European anti-missile defence, based on a joint assessment and definition of ballistic threats.” 
 
According to the Assembly, the joint position should cover “the development of a European non-strategic anti-missile concept that harmonises the American anti-missile programme, the Russian proposal on a Euro-ABM and European interests in that area.”   
 
The Assembly also recommended that the Council “urge, through a joint approach by all WEU member countries in NATO to both the United States and Russia, that no arrangement in this connection discussed between them on a bilateral basis which affects currently accepted strategic doctrine will be concluded without consultation and the involvement of those European allies that so wish.” The Assembly stressed that “the lack of a (joint) European position (…) could lead to a situation where the United States and Russia reached a bilateral agreement and Europe was faced with a fait accompli.”   
 
Furthermore, it suggested that the Council “use the WEAG (Western European Armaments Group) to evaluate the impact of an anti-missile defence on European industry” and “inform the Assembly, on the basis of Articles IV and V of the modified Brussels Treaty, of any NATO activities” related to the American anti-missile programme, the fight against proliferation, and evaluation of the Russian offer to create a joint space centre to identify and monitor ballistic launches and intercept non-strategic launches.