11.   He did not provide details, but said the matter would be discussed in NATO and in the Western European Union, the defense arm of the European Union.

12.   However, Portillo said Wednesday that he agreed with Ruhe that a stronger West European defense arm did not imply weakening the U.S. link.

13.   Lagardere and British Aerospace also said they would make a joint bid for the defense arm of Thomson SA, which the French government plans to privatize this year.

14.   NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said EU-NATO cooperation in the Balkans boded well for future relations between the two institutions as the EU develops its own defense arm.

15.   On another issue, the leaders did better by agreeing to pursue ways of how Europe can craft a credible defense arm without always relying on the United States.

16.   Prospects for long-dormant Western European Union to become EU defense arm are dim.

17.   That dilemma has long haunted the EU defense arm, the Western European Union.

18.   The naval mission was the first joint-operation between NATO and the WEU, the fledging defense arm of the European Union.

19.   The mission was the first joint-operation between NATO and the WEU, the fledging defense arm of the European Union.

20.   The organization is the fledgeling defense arm of the European Union.