The weight of the new Germany has also been felt in European defense.

This is all to the good, especially because there is little chance of an increase in European conventional defense.

Efforts to develop shared European defense and security policies were largely stalled.

Some of the recurring areas of interest include safety, economy, foreign trade, company law, social affairs, health or European defense.

This will not happen until European foreign policy and European defense are better integrated.

"Just 18 months ago, European defense was a virtual structure, doing exercises on paper," the senior French diplomat said.

The chasm opened within the alliance could sharply reduce America's involvement in European defense.

And growing superpower pressure for disarmament is forcing France to think more about joint European defense.

The massive European defenses had been created from the fortress lines that both countries had constructed as historical enemies.

The rest was devoted to Russia and security issues like Kosovo and European defense.