Brussels, 21/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - European Defence Ministers met on Friday and Saturday in Zaragoza for an informal Council, under the chairmanship of Spanish Minister Federico Trillo (see EUROPE of 11/12 March, p.8 for details). Debates will be devoted, on Friday, to the fight against terrorism. The Presidency hopes a declaration will be approved on the development of the second pillar in this field, through cooperation with the military secret services and coordination of protection measures against nuclear and bacteriological weapons of mass destruction.
Ministers will then take stock of the state of progress in implementation of the action plan for the development of EU military capabilities, adopted in Laeken, as well as on the improvement of EU rapid reaction capabilities in the event of crisis (see EUROPE of 2 March, p.5, and 25/26 February, p.5). The Presidency hopes to tackle the question of general and multinational headquarters, the "cornerstone of any operation", and the creation of a European armaments policy (which would be the subject of a specific meeting of Armaments Directors on 29 April in Madrid). The Presidency also plans to tackle the question of international humanitarian law, which is to be developed during a European seminar, from 22 to 24 April in Salamanca.
The Council will take stock of EU/NATO relations and negotiations underway with Greece to bring the agreement on the use of NATO logistic and command capabilities by the EU out of deadlock. The Greek Prime Minister announced this week that he hoped the meeting on Friday would allow a "solution acceptable for all" to be found (see EUROPE of 20 March, p.5 and 27 February, p.4).
On Saturday, the Ministers will take stock of the situation in the Balkans and the possibility of a military operation in Macedonia where the Union will take over from the NATO-led "Amber Fox" mission, which expires on 26 June.