Madrid, 1 February 2002.- Continuing the regular exchange of views between the Assembly and the EU/WEU Presidency, President Bühler met with Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Piqué, to discuss Spain’s priorities concerning the ESDP : 
 
¨ To enhance EU member states’  military capabilities; 
¨ To progressively build up the decision-making structures of the ESDP, as well as its inter-institutional arrangements, with NATO in particular; 
¨ To amend the Petersberg tasks to include measures against terrorism in the military operations under the ESDP; 
¨ To present a defence paper informing parliamentary assemblies and the public about the defence policies of the 15 member states; 
¨ To give the ESDP a parliamentary dimension based on existing concepts and bodies. 
 
According to Mr Piqué, one way to bring the ESDP forward was to oblige member states to find solutions through the implementation of real missions.  Possible operations could be a police mission in Bosnia or peacekeeping in Macedonia. 
 
President Bühler encouraged the Spanish Presidency to find pragmatic solutions, in order to move ahead with the ESDP. Giving Defence Ministers a European platform could help to overcome existing capability gaps and enhance the credibility of the ESDP. 
 
The fight against international terrorism should be added to the goals of the ESDP, which would then gradually evolve.  Measures could include cooperation among intelligence services and the protection of European airspace.