Paris’ reluctance to greenlight Tokyo office has reportedly “complicated months of discussion” in the US-led military bloc
French President Emmanuel Macron has refused to approve a scheme to open a NATO liaison office in Japan, arguing the organization should not extend itself beyond the North Atlantic, the Financial Times reported.
Macron’s opposition to the new facility planned for Tokyo, which would be NATO’s first such office in Asia, has resulted in a monthslong deadlock within the bloc, eight sources familiar with the talks told FT on Monday.
Opening a liaison center in Japan would require unanimous consent from NATO’s North Atlantic Council, meaning Paris has the ability to scuttle the proposal. According to one of the sources reached by the Financial Times, Macron believes the body’s charter imposes geographic limitations which bar NATO from expanding into Asia.
At a conference last week, the president reportedly warned that…