European Union leaders on Saturday were set to declare their fledgling defense force "operational," positioning it to conduct limited extra-territorial missions beginning next year.
"Thanks to the continued development of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)...the Union is now capable of conducting crisis-management operations," they said in a draft declaration on the second day of their two-day summit in this Brussels suburb.
The Helsinki summit of December 1999 mandated creation of a 60,000-strong rapid reaction force to be up and running by 2003, able to move into a Kosovo-like trouble spot within a month and remain in place for a year.
Saturday's draft statement indicated the EU will be able to use the embryonic stages of that force beginning next year to carry out limited missions involving, for example, aid to natural disaster areas and evacuation of EU citizens from trouble spots around the world.
Creation of the rapid reaction force was predicated on the reliance on NATO assets for logistical, strategic and planning support, and the draft "operational" statement appeared to signal that problems in reaching an accord with NATO on that support had been ironed out.
The accord with NATO was seen as crucial to the EU as it moves progressively into the defense business.
"The Union is determined to finalize swiftly arrangements with NATO in order to enhance its capabilities," said the draft statement. "Development of the means and capabilities at its disposal will enable the Union progressively to take on more and more complex operations."
The EU leaders underscored their defense ambitions on the summit's first day Friday when they threw their support behind a multinational security force that could deploy in Afghanistan soon after expected passage of a UN resolution.
The EU's contingent to the international force would be 3,000-4,000 strong, probably headed by Britain.
"Participation of member states of the Union will constitute a strong signal of their willingness to assume their responsibilities in crisis management and thus contribute to the stability of Afghanistan," it added.
The formal agreement that would give the EU assured access to NATO assets, including its radar planes and operational planning teams, has been stalled for more than a year by objections from Turkey, a key NATO ally outside the EU.
However Ankara accepted a compromise deal earlier this month, brokered by London and Washington, that would guarantee that the EU would not intervene in the disputes it has with Athens over Cyprus and the Aegean Sea.
But Greece, which is inside both NATO and the EU, still had reservations which remained unresolved as late as Friday night, and which could remain so when NATO defense ministers meet in Brussels next Tuesday and Wednesday—(AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
