Clinton in Paris for European security speech

[January 29, 2010]  PARIS (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton flew to Paris on Friday for talks with French officials and to give a speech on European security in which she will underscore the Obama administration's commitment to the continent's security.

She was meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy and his national security adviser, Jean-David Levitte, before delivering an address at France's military academy. Clinton will speak to threats facing Europe, the administration approach to missile defense, arms control with Russia and the importance of NATO.

Speaking to reporters traveling on the plane with her to France, Clinton said she wanted her speech to be part of "the whole discussion that's going on about the definition of European security" as NATO reviews its goals and strategies for the next 50 years.

She said the traditional definition of security as deterrence is obsolete and is broadening to include threats from non-state actors, terrorism, cyber-security and disaster mitigation and response.

"There are a lot of implications that were not part of the original NATO concept but which we increasingly define as security," she said.

Clinton also said she would address new Russian proposals for European security.

On the controversial issue of a missile defense network for Europe, Clinton said the U.S. would welcome Moscow's input on research and development.

"From our perspective missile defense is much more now about defending against non-state actors and rogue regimes than it is about what we classically thought as the need for deterrence," she said.

Clinton arrived in Paris after attending two days of conferences on Afghanistan and Yemen in London. At the meeting she also stressed the necessity of punishing Iran for its failure to come clean about its nuclear intentions.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW LEE]

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