Warsaw, 24/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Warsaw for an informal session, the defence ministers of NATO member countries "generally welcomed" the proposals announced by their American colleague, Donald Rumsfeld, of a new rapid reaction force for the Alliance (or a Response Force), said a NATO official. The proposals were considered as "constructive", and no "negative reaction" or "reservations" were expressed. The new force is considered as a "complement" to NATO's already ongoing major efforts, notably the launch of a new Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI) and the review of the command structure, two issues to be finalised by NATO's Summit in Prague on 21 and 22 November. The future force would not be "totally new": it would be made up from existing resources of allied countries, and details need drawing up together. The allied ministers and military authorities must now examine in particular how the force will integrate other Alliance efforts. The American proposal could lead to an initiative or a concept that could be ratified at the Prague Summit. The same officials also made a point of stressing that a future Response Force "would not be in competition with the European Union's rapid reaction force", and that the two efforts should rather "mutually strengthen each other". These efforts, remark these officials, moreover, concern different types of missions (the EU is especially preparing peacekeeping missions), whereas they would make use in part of the same units and assets.
The Pentagon had hinted last week that the United States was to propose to the Allies, at the Warsaw meeting, the creation of a "light, agile military force of the size of a brigade that would be at disposal for "short, outside zone operations, ranging from the evacuation of non-combatants to response to crises", and most likely to "lead peacekeeping missions". The force will only be used for short operations, of a duration ranging from 7 to 30 days, contrary to NATO's ARRC (ACE - Allied Command Europe - Rapid Reaction Force), which could be deployed for 90 days, with which the new force will not be in competition. It will be tailored depending on the situation, with land, sea and air components, identified in advance. It could include up to 20,000 troops. The new force needs safe communications, means of protection for nuclear, chemical or biological emergency situations, precision strike capabilities and good means of air transport.