The chancellor's comments represented a shift in Germany's stance on disarmament, after pushing for a reduction of nuclear weapons in Europe. The previous argument was that a new missile shield would allow NATO members to cut their arsenals.
'As long as there are nuclear weapons in the world, we need to have these capabilities, as NATO says,' Merkel told journalists after talks with Rasmussen in Berlin. Aims to reduce nuclear weapons needed to be based on the principle of reciprocity, the chancellor added.
At a NATO meeting earlier this month, France and Germany were at odds over nuclear disarmament, as France insisted on keeping its own nuclear weapons and rejected any foreign intervention in its policy.
At the time, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that arms control and disarmament must be 'the trademarks of our political alliance.' Germany does not own any nuclear weapons.
Rasmussen, who has backed the French position, expressed confidence on Friday that NATO members would succeed in agreeing to a new security concept at next month's summit in Lisbon.
'I believe that it will include missile defence for Europe and I am quite confident that we will strike the right balance in the strategic concept,' Rasmussen said.
The leaders welcomed the fact that Russia would be present at the Lisbon summit, even if the country has not agreed to join NATO's missile defence structure.
'The openness of the country towards discussions over the missile defence system (is) a good signal,' Merkel said.
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The leaders also discussed NATO's operation in Afghanistan.
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