Paris, 06/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - By adopting the report by British Labour member Jim Marshall, in Paris on Wednesday, on the implementation of the European Security and Defence Policy (Esdp) and the future role of the WEU, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union welcomed progress made within the EU and the framework of Esdp, but hoped to be involved in the future parliamentary control of Esdp. It regretted the fact that the recent Marseilles Declaration had omitted to mention the future role of the WEU Assembly and regarded as "premature" and "unfortunate" the decision to totally eliminate the WEU as political player in a European security and defence architecture that remains incomplete. It called for the urgent convening of a joint meeting with the WEU Council of Ministers.
Speaking before the Assembly on behalf of the French Presidency of the EU, Lionel Jospin declared that "the WEU must continue to encourage reflection by European States on the future of security". "France is very attached to the idea of the WEU Parliamentary Assembly remaining a place where a European culture of defence is shaped", he added, before continuing: "For the time being, the question of parliamentary control of crisis management led by the EU does not arise. For now, we back the preservation of the powers of national parliaments and the role of information and relay played by the European Parliament and your Assembly. We must maintain this balanced approach".