The German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, and the NATO Secretary General, Javier Solana, have held their first talks following Mr Fischer's controversial suggestion that the alliance give up its policy allowing first use of nuclear weapons.

No statement is expected from the meeting, but NATO military planners earlier recommended keeping the first-strike option.

Also the German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping has distanced himself from Mr Fischer's proposal.

NATO is due to debate its nuclear strategy at a summit in Washington in April.