Letter: Useless Nato

Sir: Romano Prodi has made a good start to his European Commission presidency by thinking aloud about the shape of Europe beyond the current Balkan conflict ("Prodi's plan for EU army", 10 May). To some extent he has merely stated the obvious: that a more integrated Europe of 350 million people will naturally tend to develop a unitary defence force.

But in questioning the military role of the US in Europe he has underlined the bankruptcy of Nato, which has no raison d'etre since the end of the Cold War. The claim of keeping the peace in Europe for 50 years ended with bombing of Belgrade.

If the whole European project is not to be undermined by the (mainly) US bombing of Serbia, then Nato must be quietly laid to rest.

DAVID TAYLOR

Reading, Berkshire