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EU Valued Around the World as "Crisis Manager"

Chancellor Merkel after a briefing at the Joint Terrorism Defense Center

A two-day conference entitled "ESDP: From Cologne to Berlin and Beyond. Operations, Institutions, Capabilities" opened Monday, January 29, in Berlin. Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the EU’s High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

European Crisis Management and Defense delivered the keynote speeches, which took stock of the ESDP and discussed its future as well as its relationship with NATO.

Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier stressed the EU's importance for international security. Since 2003, it has conducted 16 civilian and military operations, he said. By way of example he mentioned the military operation to secure the elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Border Assistance Mission at the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, and the EU's engagement in implementing the peace agreement in Aceh, Indonesia. The EU is valued around the world as a "crisis manager," he underscored.

In Kosovo, Steinmeier continued, the Union was about to launch "the largest and most challenging civilian mission that the ESDP has seen so far." This mission would support the final status solution for Kosovo and the development of functioning state structures.

As a long-term vision, Steinmeier mentioned the development of a common European defense. It is after all the case, he said, that the states of Europe will only be able to survive in today's complex world if they all act together.

Developing and pooling capabilities

Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for the CFSP, agreed with Steinmeier that the ESDP was now here to stay. In order to further increase the effectiveness of the ESDP, he called for continued institutional reforms. A Civilian Operation Commander should be appointed in the Council Secretariat, to whom the leaders of the individual civilian ESDP missions would be answerable.

In view of the increasing demand for ESDP operations, Solana called for a further expansion and - where necessary - pooling of EU capabilities. Otherwise, he said, there is a risk that our ambitions will not be matched by our abilities.

Making full use of cooperation between NATO and the EU

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer addressed the relationship between the EU and NATO. He noted that the EU and NATO are no longer viewed as competitors. Nevertheless, the security landscape of the 21st century will require EU-NATO relations to take on a new form. What is needed, in his view, is a genuine strategic partnership. The potential for cooperation has not yet been fully exhausted.

Some 230 representatives of EU institutions, EU Member State institutions and experts from think tanks and academia are currently meeting in Berlin to discuss future developments and challenges for the European Security and Defense Policy.

This conference has been organized under Germany's EU Presidency by the Federal Foreign Office and the EU Institute for Security Studies.

January 30, 2007

Government & Politics

Government & Politics