• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=11/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-U / CHECHNYA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256193
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  European Union foreign ministers have 
condemned what they call Russia's use of 
indiscriminate force in Chechnya.  But as V-O-A 
Correspondent Ron Pemstein reports from Brussels, the 
European Union's common foreign policy is proving 
stronger in language than in action.
TEXT:  This was one of the first opportunities for the 
European Union to show its united voice in world 
affairs since the appointment of Javier Solana as its 
high representative. 
The rhetoric was strong -- the foreign ministers 
expressed deep concern at the Russian military 
campaign in Chechnya and condemned all 
disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force.  As 
one E-U official says, "We don't condemn Russia all 
the time.
However, the strong language in the statement is  not  
backed by any action by the European Union or any 
threat of action.  Instead, there is a suggestion that 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe be allowed to open a branch office in Nazran, 
the capital of Ingushetia, near Chechnya.
Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Harlonen, speaking for 
the E-U foreign ministers, says sanctions can have an 
uncertain effect.
            /// HARLONEN ACT ///
      If we want to stop the war now, I don't know 
      whether only the sanctions will work.  We will 
      think about sanctions, too.  The Russians know 
      that, but they [sanctions] are  not  the miracle 
      key which we will solve the issue immediately.
            /// END ACT ///
The European Union ministers have repeatedly suggested 
that Russia should begin political negotiations to 
settle the fighting in Chechnya.  Russian Prime 
Minister Vladimir Putin has told the European Union 
Chechnya is an internal matter for Russia alone to 
decide.  Finnish Foreign Minister Harlonen says 
Chechnya is proving much more difficult than the peace 
negotiations with Belgrade that ended the fighting in 
Kosovo.
As for the European Union speaking with one voice on 
foreign policy, Mr. Solana says it will take some 
time.
            /// SOLANA ACT ///
      Of course, we are  not  going to do miracles in 
      24 hours, but I can tell you that today has been 
      a very important day for the foreign and 
      security policy of the European Union. 
            /// END ACT ///
The more important development was the first joint 
meeting of the European Union's foreign and defense 
ministers.  They have been trying to work out a 
framework to give the European Union a separate 
defense capability from NATO.  As a former Secretary-
General of NATO, Mr. Solana is leading that effort. 
The foreign ministers also approved Mr. Solana's 
appointment as the head of the West European Union, 
the E-U's powerless defense arm.  Mr. Solana is 
expected to meld the two organizations so the European 
Union may one day have the military capability to 
support the strong language of its statements.   
(Signed)
NEB/RDP/JWH/WTW
15-Nov-1999 14:27 PM EDT (15-Nov-1999 1927 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.