"My message will be to ask the president that he agrees that NATO needs a higher political profile and a more political role as the primary forum for the transatlantic security deliberations and discussions," De Hoop Scheffer told BBC radio on the eve of a NATO summit in Brussels.

"I am all in favour of Europe developing what they call defence and security identity," he said. "NATO should never compete with the European Union, neither should the EU with NATO."

"But I do not see the US very quickly joining the EU," he added. "We have the US around the table here at NATO every day, as it has always been in the past. That gives NATO its unique character."

De Hoop Scheffer also said he hopes the United States and the European Union could work together in addressing Iran's suspected development of nuclear weapons.

"I hope this (visit by Bush to Brussels) will mark the occasion when the US and Europe can join hands on this thorny question as well," he said.