The European Union said today the use of force might be necessary where diplomacy failed to address threats from weapons of mass destruction.
In a significant shift towards US thinking, EU foreign ministers endorsed a strategy to combat the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that for the first time included a reference to possible military action against states or terrorist groups that acquired such arms.
"When these measures [including political dialogue and diplomatic pressure] have failed, coercive measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and international law [sanctions, selective or global, interceptions of shipments and, as appropriate, the use of force] could be envisioned," it said.
The strategy, coupled with an action plan giving the fight against weapons of mass destruction priority in the EU's relations with third countries, was adopted on the day the 15-nation bloc was reviewing ties with Iran in the light of its suspect nuclear programme.
Diplomats said the moves were part of an EU drive to take the weapons of mass destruction threat more seriously and repair transatlantic relations after a severe rift over the US-led invasion of Iraq.
While accepting the possible use of force as a last resort if diplomatic preventive measures and international inspections failed, the EU document insisted that action should be approved by the United Nations.
Diplomats said Germany, which opposed military action in Iraq, had tried initially to have any reference to the use of force removed but had relented partly under persuasion by France, which led international opposition to the war.
The United States and Britain gave weapons of mass destruction as the main justification for attacking Iraq. No such weapons have been found more than two months after Baghdad fell to US troops.