BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA - M. Aroni) Greek Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Tuesday attended a meeting of European Union defence ministers held in Brussels. The meeting focused on relations between the EU and NATO and the anti-piracy operation Atalanta.

   Describing the positions he outlined at the meeting, Venizelos said that he had stressed the need for autonomy and equality between the two organisations, combined with regular contact between them. He also noted the need for all 27 EU member-states to participate more actively in related activities.

   He went on to convey the Greek government's decision to extend its participation in operation Atalanta with one Navy frigate and one helicopter by one year. Venizelos said that the EU would act within the framework of the mandate given by the UN Security Council and that practical ways must be found to lead the pirates to an international judicial body.

   The minister noted Greece's intense interest in the naval part of the Atalanta operation, given the country's very huge commercial fleet, adding that this imposed a great interest in both Atalanta and its NATO equivalent, Ocean Shield.

   On the issue of a common EU foreign and security policy, Venizelos said that it was vital to preserve the role of some crucial bodies, such as the EU Military Committee and military staff.

   Commenting on the reports in Greece on the NATO anti-missile shield, Venizelos termed the discussion "premature" and pointed out that Greece had not yet made any promises or taken any decisions concerning the plan.

   The minister also pointed out that the new plan presented by the U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in late October took into account the concerns of Russia and ensured interactivity with Russian systems, if the Russian side desired this - a view that met the agreement of several countries that included Greece, Germany and Norway.

   He also pointed out that this was the first stage of a plan that had not yet been presented in its complete form.

   Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos