A day after Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder looked forward to the day when EU troops could serve alongside UN peacekeepers, Struck told DeutschlandRadio that Europe certainly had a lot to offer militarily.

"We shouldn't talk down what is there," he added, but "the goal of a common European army is still a long a way off."

Nevertheless, European nations should cooperate closer to share the financial burden of bringing in new military technology and hardware.

Meanwhile Struck also said Germany was ready to take part in reconstruction efforts in Iraq provided it was under UN auspices, although it was "too early" to speculate about any possible German participation in peacekeeping forces.

"There's no doubt that the goal now is that the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein will be conquered as quickly as possible and that reconstruction can begin under UN aegis," he told DeutschlandRadio.

"We must not forget that Saddam has oppressed his people and possibly has weapons of mass destruction."

SPACE.WIRE