Brussels, 11/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - During the 18th meeting, on 11 March, between the NATO North Atlantic Council and the European Union's Political and Security Committee (COPS), at ambassadorial level, a meeting that Lord Robertson described as particularly significant, the Atlantic Alliance and the EU "virtually" concluded the "Berlin +" agenda, according to the NATO Secretary General. The joint meeting was held at the Alliance headquarters under the presidency of Lord Robertson, the High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and the President of the EU Political and Security Committee, Ambassador Tryphon Paraskevopoulos.
"Berlin +" covers a detailed set of arrangements concerning relations that "bind together" the two institutions. It is a "basic framework" for future relations and crisis management, Lord Robertson told the press, a basis for "strategic relations" between the Alliance and the Union. He went on to describe "today's achievement" as historic. He gave his assurance that the process was almost complete and that all that remained to be settled were a "few details". High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana stressed for his part that "Berlin+ is a strategic scheme for NATO-EU relations", "a major strategic concept", that will allow both institutions to do their work "even beyond the region where we are now".
"We are virtually at the point of decision on the take-over" of the operation in Macedonia, Lord Robertson pointed out. Mr Solana went on to specify that the European OPLAN is complete and has been submitted to NATO, which is examining it in order to be able to give a response in a few days' time (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5). There will then be a transfer of command, he said, considering that the EU will take over the command of the operation "before the end of the month". ESDP will then be put to the test for the very first time.
Mr Solana confirmed, moreover, that, during the informal meeting of Defence Ministers of the EU Member States, to be held in Athens on Friday and Saturday, the security agreement between NATO and the European Union would be formally signed in the presence of NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson. Agreement on the protection of confidential information is a fundamental condition for future cooperation in military operations.