EN 
Europe’s Liberals and Democrats emphasise need for a genuine EU defence policyeldr, Monday 8 January 2007 10:00 ::European Liberals and Democrats re-stated in a hearing in the European Parliament on 8th January their commitment to a genuine European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) as an integral part of an effective EU, with the goal of establishing a fully-fledged European army. Faced with an unstable world, the EU must be in a position to defend itself alone or with allies, promote peace and stability in its neighborhood and the wider world, and carry out humanitarian missions. ELDR Party President and MEP Annemie NEYTS (VLD, Belgium) opened the hearing by calling for a proper format for EU defence actions and by asking fundamental questions: “Where does defence fit in the EU institutional framework? How does the EU defence relate to NATO? How do the EU and the USA view the relationship with one another? And are we really willing and able to intervene in crisis all over the world?”.
From 1st January 2007 and for a two year mandate, Belgium will seat in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member. Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel DE GUCHT (VLD, Belgium) expressed his full commitment to the ESDP and the need to rise political will and financing for this key EU policy. “Kosovo will be an acid test for the coming of age of the ESDP. I am confident we will succeed”, he said.
On the fundamental question of the relationship between the EU and NATO, the minister explained that NATO and the ESDP have to be mutually reinforcing. “Belgium pleads for a new transatlantic alliance with three main elements: an extension of peace-keeping missions under UN mandate, a better coordination of EU civilian efforts with NATO and more capabilities,” he added. Dr. Wim VAN EEKELEN (VVD, the Netherlands), former Secretary General WEU and former Minister of Defence, started by explaining the current context: militarization frightens some EU countries - especially the neutral ones - and the EU does not yet have a comprehensive security and defence policy. He called for more coherence, notably through the nomination of an EU Foreign Affairs minister. “The EU countries must further realize that they have common interests to protect and agree on planning scenarios, in which they commit troops and financing,” he stated. Général MORILLON, (UDF, France), MEP, stressed that countries around the world were expecting Europe to play a bigger role on the international stage and stated that political will is lacking more than means in the EU defence policy. “The priority for Europe should be to help Africa out of chaos and misery and to step up its involvement in the Middle East peace process. If we had the political will, we could have a European fleet to deploy in the Mediterranean. We need to give a proper budget to the European Defence Agency and increase our spending for research linked to defence to enable Europe to keep its place in the world,” he said. Hugo BRAUWERS, Representative of the Belgian Permanent Representation to the NATO explained that there is a lack of substance in the dialogue between the EU and NATO, which he sees as a consequence of the uncertainties about the future of both institutions. According to him, both institutions would gain in being more co-operative, better defining their strategic visions, and focusing their dialogue on convergence and defence spending.
Concluding the hearing, ALDE Group Leader Graham WATSON (Lib Dem, UK) stated: “We see a shift in the distribution of power around the world which is at the EU’s disadvantage. This is accompanied by the danger of a renewed arms’ race, militarization of space, and problems of energy supplies. These threats to the EU security leave no choice but to create a genuine European defence. To achieve this, we need action from the main three players Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The European Liberal Democrats will use the opportunity provided by the German and French Presidencies to launch a public debate on the rationale of a European army”. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information, please contact Myriam Cornillet (mcornillet@eldr.org), 00 32 2 237 01 43 or 00 32 485 99 40 56. |
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