Paris, 24 September 2008 – The joint half-yearly meeting between the members of the Assembly and the Representatives of the WEU Permanent Council/EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) was held in Brussels on Monday, 22 September. More than 75 parliamentarians attended the meeting which was chaired by the President of the European Security and Defence Assembly, Senator Jean-Pierre MASSERET (France). Ambassador Christine ROGER representing the current WEU/EU Presidency stated that France’s priority was strengthening EU capabilities in support of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). This would be the main item on the agenda at the forthcoming informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers to be held in Deauville on 1-2 October. France was hoping for progress in certain important areas (helicopters, Europe’s strategic transport fleet, military space observation). The aim was to create a new momentum on capabilities and a vision that everyone could share. In six months, it was impossible to do everything but the French Presidency wanted to sow the seeds for the future by formulating objectives that would be implemented by the forthcoming Czech, Swedish and Spanish presidencies.

Ambassador ROGER reported on the main areas of work under the ESDP: the revision, by December 2008, of the European Security Strategy (ESS) to improve and extend it; a review of current EU missions and operations; capabilities development and the question of partnerships between the EU and the United Nations, NATO, the OSCE and the African Union (UA).

EUFOR TCHAD/RCA was going well. On 15 September, the United Nations Secretary General had transmitted a report to the Security Council recommending that a UN military component should take over from EUFOR from 16 March 2009. A decision on this was expected on Thursday 25 September in New York.

At the General Affairs Council on 15 September, the EU had decided on an anti-piracy maritime coordination operation off Somalia. The Coordination cell had become operational on 19 September. In parallel, the EU was continuing planning for an EU naval operation. It was envisaged that EU action of this nature would be complementary to any initiatives NATO was taking in the region.

The European Union was also reflecting on the future of ALTHEA, its military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All the Bosnian authorities were in agreement about the usefulness of the EU’s military operation in the country and wanted it to continue, given that the political situation was still fragile notwithstanding the very great progress achieved and the signature of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SSA) with the EU on 16 June last.

In Georgia, the EU was committed to obtaining results fast, since 200 observers were to be deployed from 1 October. Everything was in hand for the deployment and 21 member states had already come forward with offers to contribute to the mission.

In Kosovo, full deployment of the EULEX mission was envisaged for the end of November. The Head of mission and some 300 mission staff were already in the field and had begun to implement the part of their mandate relating to advice, monitoring and mentoring. Cooperation between the EU and the UN (UNMIK) over the transfer of tasks was continuing satisfactorily.

In Afghanistan, the aim was, with the envisaged doubling of the number of EUPOL staff (160 additional international personnel), to achieve the critical mass required to make an impact on police training, not just in Kabul but also in the provinces.

During the ensuing discussion, numerous questions were raised by members of the Assembly, particularly regarding the EU’s strategy for preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and about missile defence (Mr Edward O’HARA, United Kingdom); about the impact of climate change on security (Mrs Tuija NURMI, Finland); on the importance of the South Caucasus region to the European Union (Mr Tarmo KOUTS, Estonia) and in particular about relations between the EU and Azerbaijan (Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT, Spain). Questions were also asked about the lack of availability of helicopters for operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA and the anti-piracy action off the coast of Somalia (Mr Robert WALTER and Mrs Claire CURTIS-THOMAS, United Kingdom).

Mr John GREENWAY (United Kingdom) observed that the major challenge for the ESDP was to win over public opinion. Mr Gabino PUCHE-RODRIGUEZ (Spain) wondered how to improve the ESDP’s visibility. Mr José Luiz DEL ROIO (Italy) viewed communication above all as a political matter. Ambassador ROGER acknowledged that this was a real challenge. When it came to providing on the spot information, the EU was sometimes found wanting and had too few press officers in the field. When it came to communicating with those who made the decisions, the EU team did not pack enough punch. For military operations coordination with the information services of national ministries was obviously possible for ministries of defence who had to be particularly active in public relations, but in the case of EU civilian missions more than one ministry might be involved (Justice, Interior, etc.) so there was a need to “optimise” communication.

Mr Charles GOERENS (Luxembourg) brought up the conflict in Georgia and also asked about the prospects for cooperation between the EU and the African Union regarding crisis in Africa. Ambassador ROGER said that the EU supported the idea of an independent international enquiry into the conflict in Georgia. Mr Pierre Morel had been appointed EU Special Representative dealing with the Georgian crisis. The EU’s civilian observer mission would work in close cooperation with the OSCE and the United Nations. EU/AU cooperation would be discussed for the first time at an informal meeting on 30 September. Strengthening AU crisis-management capabilities was desirable but strengthening regional security organisations must not lead to disengagement by the international community in areas that were of general interest. The United Nations should continue to have responsibility and not hesitate to intervene if it felt it necessary.

Mr Daniel DUCARME (Belgium) mentioned an earlier suggestion he had made for a Eurobarometer survey specifically on defence. Ambassador ROGER was in full agreement with the need for this type of survey and had already passed Mr Ducarme’s earlier suggestion to the Presidency.

Mr Andrea MANZELLA (Italy) raised the issue of the respective security strategies of the European Union and the United States. Ambassador ROGER felt that it was not a good idea for the two to be identical but that Americans and Europeans needed to keep in tune with one another.

Mr Laurent BETEILLE (France) wondered about the prospects for a real EU/Russia strategic partnership following the Georgian crisis. The French Presidency felt that this was still the goal to aim for but that the effects of the Georgian crisis would of necessity impact on relations between the EU and Russia. The next EU/Russia summit was scheduled to take place in Nice on 14 November…

Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT (Spain) concentrated on the unilateral recognition of Kosovo’s independence by some EU member states and the negative effect that this had already had on the conflict in Georgia and might in future have on other conflicts such as in Transdniestria. Ambassador ROGER emphasised the fact that notwithstanding their differences EU members had shown a constructive attitude and taken a common approach through the EULEX mission, seeking unity of purpose and focusing on areas offering opportunities for practical action.