Military

ESDP

¨         Berliner Zeitung reports that French EU Commissioner Michel Barnier has proposed to the EU Convention that it anchors an obligation of mutual military assistance in a future European Constitution.  He is also pushing for the integration of this mutual defense pact into the EU.   "My ambition is to call into being a new defense initiative. The hour of truth is coming for Europe:  Do we want to be only an economic and financial community or do we want to become an independent political power?," the newspaper quotes Barnier asking in a interview.  Noting that Barnier heads the "defense" working group in the Convention, the article adds that Barnier criticized the EU's security policy efforts to date.  The EU decided to establish an EU rapid reaction force, but most of the member countries are not prepared to spend the necessary money, he reportedly said, adding:   "We have too many decision paths,  there is no clear chain of command, and there are too few countries making a credible effort in their defense expenditures."  According to the newspaper, he thought this could be solved through the establishment of a common European defense and research agency in which only countries that spend sufficient money for defense would be allowed to participate.  The newspaper further quotes Barnier saying that the initial reactions to his proposals at the Convention were mixed.  The representatives of the neutral countries paid close heed to the EU being responsible only for humanitarian and peace missions.  Some countries saw not the EU but NATO as the central organization for European defense. But there was also agreement, he reportedly noted.  (PIO Note:  The European Convention was established in accordance with the Declaration of the Laeken European Council of December 2001 as the EU's response to the perceived organizational and institutional deficiencies of the EU, in particular the growing alienation from the EU institutions.  The purpose of the Convention is to develop proposals for institutional reforms which will be put to an EU intergovernmental conference in 2003.)

¨         AFP quotes a Foreign Ministry spokesman saying in Athens Wednesday that the launch of the EU rapid reaction force has been "seriously delayed" and may not be agreed in time for next month's NATO summit.   No progress has been made in talks between EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday regarding an agreement on the EU's use of NATO assets, the spokesman, whose country currently holds the EU presidency for defense matters, reportedly indicated. 

TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS

¨         The Daily Telegraph quotes authoritative European diplomatic sources saying Germany is under growing pressure to transform its foreign policy as the price it must pay to repair relations with America.  The issues involved reportedly range from admitting Turkey to the EU to modernizing Germany's military forces.  According to the article, the sources said Washington had made clear that the future of mutual relations could be determined by Berlin's policy decisions within the EU, NATO and the UN.   The daily observes that Germany and America Wednesday denied suggestions in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Oct. 23, that America had presented Germany with a list of demands it must meet.  It quotes a U.S. official saying, however:  "We all agree that these are good things the Germans should do, but we haven't  presented them with any list of demands."    Meanwhile, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung interprets a statement by Foreign Minister Fischer that Germany wants the EU to reach a positive result on Turkey's desire to join the EU as a sign that the German government has apparently decided to support Turkey's membership aspirations.  The newspaper quotes government circles saying Wednesday it was likely that at an EU summit in Copenhagen at the end of the year, a date would be set for the beginning of membership negotiations with Turkey.  The daily remarks that stronger German support within the EU for Turkey's EU bid would meet the wish of the Americans.  In view of its geo-strategic position and its military bases, Turkey is one of America's most important European partners, stresses the newspaper.

In a contribution to the International Herald Tribune, Hans Binnendijk and Richard Kugler, respectively director of the Center for Technology and National Security Policy at the National Defense University and distinguished research professor at the Center called on Europeans to express support for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's proposal for a NATO Response Force.

Binnendijk and Kugler express the view that NATO should embrace the proposal as a means to close the trans-Atlantic capabilities gap, transform militaries for new missions and gain a stronger European voice in Alliance deliberations.  They warn that without agreement on this new NATO force, the November summit could fail, and America would be further inclined toward unilateral rather than coalition operations.  "The European allies want NATO to remain relevant. They want to strengthen their voice. They want to improve their military capability and keep up with America's transforming armed forces.  Creation of a NATO Response Force is an inexpensive way to begin accomplishing these goals," they conclude.

NATO-RUSSIA

¨         AFP quotes Chairman NAMILCOM, Gen. Kujat, saying in Moscow Wednesday  that "the excellent relationship between Russia and NATO is one of the aspects which makes it possible for us to reduce the command structure to the absolutely essential needs."   Speaking after talks with Russian deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Baluyevsky, Gen. Kujat reportedly stressed that "we want to have a structure which is more adapted to the new security environment, more flexible, more responsive."  According to the dispatch, Gen. Baluyevsky also acknowledged the improved relations and indicated that Moscow would reinforce its representation at NATO headquarters.  He also announced that Russia and NATO were planning a joint conference on the military's role in the fight against terrorism.  In a related dispatch, Moscow's Itar-TASS quotes Gen. Baluyevsky saying the conference would take place in Moscow in December.

ANTI-TERRORISM

¨         La Repubblica reports a cargo boat suspected of having links to Al Qaeda has been boarded by the U.S. Navy ship USS "Monterey" off the Turkish coast, 79 nautical miles off Antalya.   Crew members were interrogated and material described as "very interesting" was found on the "Tara," which until a week ago was called "Cristi," says the newspaper.  It quotes a U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesman saying the vessel seemed to have its paperwork in order, no contraband goods were discovered, and nothing was removed.  The ship had been stopped and searched because it was behaving in a suspect manner.  The newspaper claims that a top-level meeting took place at a NATO base to discuss the tracing of the ship, which had previously been sighted around the island of Crete.  Greek daily Ta Nea, Oct. 23, reported that the allied armada taking part in Active Endeavor, with the participation of the Greek frigate Bouboulina was hunting a vessel believed to be carrying members of Al Qaeda.  The newspaper asserted that secret services from Europe, the United States and Italy were taking part in the hunting for the Cristi, reportedly one of 22 ships included in a list of ships suspect to be linked to terrorism.  Allied ships patrolling the eastern Mediterranean have been warned of a possible change of name from Cristi to Tara, added the article.