At a press conference jointly held with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou following a working luncheon between NATO and European Union foreign ministers, Robertson said that division is a thing of the past and that continuity and cooperation are emerging across the Atlantic.

Both sides of the Atlantic are pursuing the strong common interest, he added.

"This is not a decision-making meeting and it is too premature to project NATO's role in the work," he said.

On the postwar reconstruction of Iraq, he said that the international community including NATO and the European Union (EU)should involve themselves in the Iraqi reconstruction as soon as the situation needs.

Papandreou said that the EU wants to see a stable Iraq and that the territorial integrity of Iraq should be respected. The EU is ready to provide assistance to ease the humanitarian crisis in the region, especially the neighboring countries of Iraq following the war.

He also reiterated the importance of the role of the United Nations in the postwar Iraq reconstruction.

Meanwhile, he stressed that the "road map" of the Middle East conflict should be published and implemented as soon as possible, because it would contribute to the stability of the whole region.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2003)