Brussels, 01/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Chiefs of Staff took stock, on Thursday, of the development of European military capabilities since their meeting in November, and discussed the international situation in restricted session. They noted that the EU must develop its rapid response capabilities mainly by speeding up the decision-making process in the event of crisis. It is above all a matter of reflecting on the concepts allowing for preparation of decisions to be accelerated when assessing the crisis situation, and of dialogue with NATO and third countries, said one European diplomat.
The Chiefs of Staff noted the progress made in carrying out the action plan intended to fill the gaps in military capabilities, adopted in Laeken, and noted the setting into place of 11 working groups (see EUROPE of 25 and 26 February, p.5). Spain and Italy state they are ready to take on the presidency of a group devoted to in-flight fuelling, and France and Spain that of a group on carrier air power. Germany and other delegations remarked that the final objective of the action plan is not to create groups, and that the ambition is to find capabilities available in Member States.
The Spanish Presidency also pointed out that the preparation of the first military exercise, that should be testing the command structure in May, is on the right road but that the Member States should make a further effort. It recalled that the National Armaments Directors will be holding a discussion on a document entitled "Basis for a European Armaments Policy", during a meeting on 29 April in Madrid.