Poland champions proposed EU military HQ
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
19.07.2011 10:31
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has admitted that the idea of establishing a permanent headquarters for EU defence and security operations, which has been championed by Poland, Germany and France, has not won the support of all EU countries.
Talking to reporters in Brussels, Monday, he declined to name the countries which are against the proposal, but it is known that the United Kingdom is the main opponent. Lithuania is also reluctant to back the proposal.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague told the EU foreign ministers meeting that the UK will never endorse the proposal for a permanent Operations Headquarters, an idea mooted by Catherine Ashton, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security.
In Hague’s opinion, the proposed EU HQ duplicates NATO structures and permanently disassociates EU planning from NATO planning.
The foreign ministers of Poland, Germany and France have issued a joint statement which says that Catherine Ashton’s report remains at the negotiation table and that the three countries would like to see a resumption of Europe’s defence capabilities, given mounting crises, dwindling resources at the disposal of individual states and growing expectations towards the EU. (mk/jb)
Source: IAR