Brussels, 07/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 6 January, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton welcomed the appointment of Claude-France Arnould as Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA). The appointment of French national Arnould was the unanimous decision of the members of the EDA (EU27 less Denmark) Steering Board and will be for a period of three years, Ashton said.
Arnould is currently Deputy Director-General for Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) in the External Action Service. Previously, between 2001 and 2009, she was Director for Defence issues in the EU General Secretariat of the Council, in charge of CSDP operations and military capabilities. From 1998 to 2001 she was Head of International and Strategic Affairs at the National Defence Secretariat General in France.
“With her background in defence issues, Claude-France will bring more than 20 years' of experience to this post, at a crucial time for the Agency”, Ashton said in a press release.
At the last meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels on 9 December, it had proved impossible to persuade all countries, in particular Italy, to back Arnould, the candidate proposed by Ashton who, herself, chairs the EDA, for the post. Several weeks' additional consultations were necessary. (A.By./L.C./transl.rt)