French President Emmanuel Macron Rejects NATO Plan for Tokyo Office: CNBC

International

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – French President Emmanuel Macron objected to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance proposal that plans to open an office in Tokyo, Japan. He said the transatlantic security alliance must remain focused on its own territory.

Speaking at a conference last week, Macron said NATO must not extend its reach beyond the north Atlantic. He voiced concern about the alliance’s loss of focus.

“If we push NATO to expand spectrum and geography, we will make a big mistake,” he said, as reported Financial Timesquoted Tuesday (6/6/2023).

A French official also said his country believes NATO’s charter requires the alliance to limit its geographic reach to the “North Atlantic”.

The official said doing so could damage Europe’s relations with China in light of the war in Ukraine, particularly in terms of asking Beijing not to supply weapons to Russia.

One person familiar with the debate within NATO said France is reluctant to support anything that contributes to NATO-China tensions.

According to eight people familiar with the situation, France’s resistance has complicated months of discussions within NATO to establish the alliance’s first outpost in the Indo-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, the push to open an office in Tokyo comes as the US and Japan urge Europe to get more involved in Asian security issues, especially because of growing concerns about China’s possible military action against Taiwan.

The decision coincided with Beijing lashing out at US efforts to create what it describes as an anti-China coalition in the Indo-Pacific, which it has likened to an “Asian NATO”.

Macron’s resistance comes two months after he angered the US and other allies by suggesting that Europe should distance itself from US-China tensions over Taiwan.

The Japanese government itself did not comment. However, a Japanese official said Tokyo wanted to strengthen ties with the alliance.

Japan and NATO have discussed opening a Tokyo office since then prime minister Shinzo Abe visited NATO headquarters in 2007.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who last year became the first Japanese leader to attend a NATO summit, will join the upcoming meeting in Lithuania in July.

NATO has more than a dozen liaison offices or delegates around the world, in countries such as Ukraine and Moldova. Most are small in size and designed to assist contact with the host country’s government and military.

(luc/luc)