He cited the threat of chemical and biological weapons, as well as of nuclear proliferation.
De Hoop Scheffer was speaking as he prepared to host talks with the alliance's foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
In theory, the two-day gathering should focus on issues such as the expansion of the alliance's presence in Afghanistan and its role in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan.
However, the meeting is being overshadowed by the Iran crisis, particularly as April 28, the day the conference starts, is also the deadline the UN Security Council gave for Tehran to suspend all work on enriching uranium, a key stage in the process of producing nuclear energy and also nuclear weapons.
(AFP)
