ABSTRACT
In 2003, the European Security Strategy was adopted by the EU. WMD proliferation enjoys a prominent position among perceived threats to European security. The regions considered directly relevant to European security, whether in the context of WMD proliferation or in more general terms, are Russia and the former republics of the Soviet Union, the Mediterranean and – increasingly – the broader region of the Middle East. European countries are mainly interested in WMD proliferation that is related directly to European territory. European states prefer a non-proliferation policy based upon political and diplomatic initiatives. They appear more ‘confident that international treaties, institutions and diplomacy can prevent proliferation and organize effective action to reverse illegal proliferation that might occur’. The French Senate Report of June 2000 accepted that long-range missile capabilities would emerge in the Middle East, but France places greater faith in the deterrent power of its nuclear weapons against small ‘rogue states’ than does the US.
