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PARIS, July 15-- French President Emmanuel Macron called here again on Sunday for European defense cooperation ahead of a traditional military parade celebrating the country's annual Bastille Day. "Never, since the end of World War II, has Europe been so important. The construction of a Europe of defense, in connection with the Atlantic alliance whose 70th anniversary we are celebrating, is a priority for France," Macron said. "Acting together and strengthening our capacity to act collectively -- this is particularly the challenge that the European Intervention Initiative, with other essential European projects, targets to meet," he added. Macron then invited the leaders of member countries of the European Intervention Initiative (E2I) "to act together" for a rapid European intervention force which defends common strategic interests. The E2I, proposed by Macron in September 2017, aims to bring together European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Spain and Denmark, to collaborate on planning, carry out joint analyses of emerging crises and react to them quickly. Sunday's parade, commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution, was led by a marching group waving the flags of the 10 member countries of the E2I, symbolizing European defense cooperation. Since taking office two years ago, Macron has endeavored to push for building a joint European Union military force, asserting that Europe needs to reduce its dependence on U.S. might. | 
