NATO 'alive, strong': Germany

BERLIN

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday underlined NATO’s essential role for Europe’s security and turned down French proposals towards developing an alternative military alliance.

"It is fair to say that NATO is alive," Maas said at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum, adding that the military alliance was still strong "from head to toe".

His remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron raised doubts about NATO’s future viability, arguing earlier this month that the alliance was undergoing "brain death".

Maas acknowledged problems within the 29-member alliance, but argued that these problems should be handled through a review process, not by "toxic debates".

He reminded Germany’s recent proposal to set up a high-level experts commission to make NATO more capable of addressing new challenges and preventing divisions within the alliance.

"We must develop new concepts and policies for NATO," he said, and called for further steps to strengthen the political unity and coordination among the allies.