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EU prepares to set up agency on defense capabilities development

PLA Daily 2004-01-30

BRUSSELS, Jan. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- EU security policy chief Javier Solana has appointed Nick Witney leader of the team preparing the establishment of an agency on EU defense capabilities development,The Council of the European Union (EU) revealed Thursday.

Witney, who is currently Director-General for International Security Policy at the British Defense Ministry, will lead the Defense Agency Establishment Team to submit proposals to the EU Council "with a view to the adoption of the necessary decisions concerning the creation of the Agency and to launching the activities of the Agency in 2004."

The task of the team also has to "take work forward on the financial, legal and administrative aspects of the setting up of the agency and its internal organizations."

Last December, after the convening of the EU summit, the EU Council decided to set up an agency in the field of defense capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments.

The overall aim of the agency is to support all participating EU member states to improve European defense capabilities, including crisis management capabilities, European armaments cooperation, military technology research and creation of an internationally competitive European defense equipment market.

The EU Council has not yet given an official name to the agency,but it said that the EU High Representative for the Common Foreignand Security Policy will head the agency.

Defense ministers of all participating states or their representatives will make up a "steering board" for decision taking in the agency, and an chief executive will also be appointed.