NATO Seeks To Broaden Its Reach
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Courtesy of: United Press International
Published: April 3, 2006

Brussels--The North Atlantic Treaty Organization plans to strengthen ties with Australia, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden, thereby widening its geographical influence.

The U.S.-led initiative for the political and military alliance has the support of NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, reports the Financial Times.

Japan and South Korea may later be included in the initiative.

But the Times report said France sees the plan as an effort to influence more countries to see the U.S. point of view on strategic issues.

The plan as proposed by the United States calls for creating a "global partnership" to rationalize NATO's current web of partnerships with other established democracies and accomplished militaries.

Such a strategy could help bring more troops under NATO leadership for difficult missions such as in Afghanistan, the report said.