STRASBOURG, July 21 (AFP) - European Commission president-designate Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said Wednesday that he would not allow the United States to treat the EU as "second-rate," as he defended his backing for the Iraq war.
The former Portuguese prime minister, who joined notably Britain and Spain in backing Washington over the US-led war which seriously split the European Union, said Europe should put those divisions behind it.
"What is important now is for us to unite in Europe ... If confirmed that is precisely what I shall be aiming to achieve," he told the European Parliament, where he was seeking MEPs' support for his nomination.
He is widely expected to be approved by EU lawmakers in a vote on Thursday, even if some socialists and greens have criticized him over his policies as Portuguese government head, as well as his support for the Iraq war.
Durao Barroso said a good transatlantic relationship was "in the interest of Europe" as the world faces up to new threats, notably that of global terrorism.
"Europe is not enough on its own. We need to bring out major partners with us. Among those major partners is the United States," he said.
But he added: "I am a European and proud of it," saying that if confirmed as Commission head "I shall defend the common European interest. And I shall not let Europe be treated as a second-rate power in any relationship."
Durao Barroso emerged as a compromise candidate to head the Brussels EU executive last month, after Britain vetoed the frontrunner for the job, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, who was a firm opponent of the Iraq conflict.
The Portuguese conservative said he wants to help heal the diplomatic wounds left by the war.
"I don't think it's useful for Europe to look at the past and try to indulge in rhetorical hyphotheses about who was right after all," he said.