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BADEN-BADEN — President Barack Obama says Western nations need to redefine and clarify NATO's responsibilities for the 21st century.
Speaking in Germany at a news conference Friday with Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl), Obama said he did not come to the NATO summit "bearing grand designs" for change.
Obama says the trans-Atlantic alliance is the most successful in modern history.
But he says its role needs clarification, and U.S. and German leadership will be critical to that effort.
As Obama put it, "If NATO becomes everything then it's nothing."
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
STRASBOURG, France (AP) — President Barack Obama is using his participation in a NATO summit to reaffirm support for what he calls "the most successful alliance in modern history."
At a gathering of NATO allies in Strasbourg, France, the U.S. president said Friday that with France's integration into the NATO command structure, the idea that Europe's security is the United States' security will continue to be upheld.
Echoing French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Obama says the U.S. wants strong allies, because that will make the alliance more effective overall.
Obama said: "We would like to see Europe have much more robust capabilities. That's not something we discourage."
