DATE=12/6/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-U DEFENSE (L-ONLY) CQ
NUMBER=2-256890
BYLINE=ROB PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: European Union foreign ministers have approved
plans for strengthening Europe's defense policy. The
documents are expected to be adopted by European
leaders when they meet later this week. Correspondent
Ron Pemstein reports from Brussels on the European
Union's military plans.
TEXT: The plans are long-range. By the year 2003,
the European Union wants to have a rapid reaction
force of 15-brigades, 50 to 60-thousand soldiers, who
can be deployed within 60-days and sustained in the
field for at least one-year.
These special forces will operate in crisis situations
where NATO as a whole is not engaged. European Union
foreign ministers have approved the documents that
will be endorsed by their leaders when they meet in
Helsinki later this week. Since 11 of the 15-
countries are also NATO members, the documents should
be acceptable to NATO.
The plan says the European Union's improved military
capabilities should not duplicate NATO's. The member
states in NATO should be able to play their full role
in the alliance while conducting effective operations
for the European Union.
The documents also say members of NATO that are not
members of the European Union - will also be invited
to build up European capabilities. That will open the
way for Norway, Poland, and Turkey, NATO members who
are not part of the European Union.
/// OPT /// The long-range plan also calls for
collective work to repair some of Europe's
shortcomings identified during the war in Kosovo.
They include military early warning, establishment of
a European air transport command, and a strategic sea
lift capacity. /// END OPT ///
The first steps will be taken in March when the
European Union will set up temporary military
structures to coordinate its internal effort and its
communication with NATO. Finnish spokesman Reijho
Kemppinen says those plans remain sketchy.
/// KEMPPINEN ACT ///
The things we are doing now, and are preparing
to do, are something that amounts to untested
waters for the European Union. We are creating
new bodies, we are trying our best to develop
the decision making of the Union into areas
where it has never ever been active before and
many are of the opinion that interim structures
serve a definite purpose in that sense.
/// END ACT ///
NATO has wanted a formal committee to coordinate
operations with the European Union. The E-U defense
Chief Javier Solana already meets informally with his
successor at NATO, George Robertson. If the European
Union wants to use NATO equipment for its own military
operations, the two organizations will have to
cooperate.
The European leaders in Helsinki are expected to
approve the plan, but officials say the leaders may
change the language on relations with non-E-U
countries. Also subject to change is wording about
what kind of institutions the European Union needs for
a single security and defense policy. (SIGNED)
NEB/RP/GE/RAE
06-Dec-1999 12:37 PM EDT (06-Dec-1999 1737 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
