Brussels, 27/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - At a hearing in Brussels on 22 March at the European Parliament on European Security and Defence Policy following Cologne and Helsinki, NATO Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs, Klaus-Peter Klaiber, considered that ESDP was the "next logical step after Monetary Union", even though it may not be achieved rapidly. But this new direction by Europeans is "inevitable" and "NATO must consequently accommodate it", he said, noting that in regional crisis management in Europe, "the United States may be increasingly reluctant to lead in each and every case. This suggests that there may be scenarios where the US will be quite happy to stay out of any direct involvement and leave that to the Europeans". But "European strategic independence is not feasible", as the United States retains key strategic capabilities which may be indispensable for all but the smallest contingencies, stressed Dr. Klaiber. In the relationship between NATO and the EU, "we don't have to start from scratch but can build on the valuable links that have been developed between the WEU and NATO over the past years", Dr. Klaiber recalled.
The rapporteur for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Willem van Eekelen, for his part, said in his address that "the right of first refusal" demanded by the American Congress (NATO's right to be consulted and decide first in case of crisis) was a "formalistic approach". In case of crisis, all institutions will consult anyway, and it will quickly become clear who is best placed to act, and there should rather be "full transparency" between them "to see what the others think", he explained. Mr. van Eekelen wondered if it was really necessary to possess all the assets that the United States has, pointing out that the EU and WEU could already today ensure a long-term presence in Kosovo and Bosnia.
The author of the WEU Assembly report on the parliamentary dimension of Esdp, Wolfgang Behrendt, defended the plan adopted in Lisbon on Tuesday on transforming the WEU Assembly, stressing that Article 5 on collective defence would not be handed to the European Union and that, for the moment, the European Parliament did not have concrete competencies in matters of defence, whereas one had to ensure "a maximum of parliamentary control immediately" regarding Esdp (any decision in the framework of Art. 5 are anyway within the powers of national parliaments, he recalled). The Chair of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Elmar Brok, drew attention to the fact that the EP did have a power of decision, and Catherine Lalumiere MEP, EP rapporteur on Esdp said that the future of Article 5 of the WEU Treaty (mutual assistance), was "a question not ripe yet, but a question raised", adding, "one should not underestimate the European Parliament": we are aware "that the Treaty confers responsibilities on us" (for lack of real powers) and "we have the duty to assume them". Mrs. Lalumiere and Mr. Brok regretted that the WEU Assembly had taken its initiative alone rather than engaging in a dialogue with Parliament, and one MEP saw in the WEU Assembly's proposal an example of the policy of a "turkey trying to delay Christmas".