Brussels, 16/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - Most Member States of the EU told the United States of their opposition to the idea of armed police officers on transatlantic flights, and their specific disapproval of the unilateral nature of their proceedings, at a meeting in Brussels last Friday between the civil aviation Directors General of the Member States (future and current) of the EU and an American delegation led by Asa Hutchinson, under-secretary responsible for transport and border security in the Inland Security Department. The US have acknowledged the need to safeguard early information exchange with the Europeans, and to plan alternative security measures.
"Certain European countries are resolutely opposed to armed police on flights, and most countries are not in favour", said a European Commission spokesperson on Friday. The Europeans have assured the Americans that they share their concerns for the fight against terrorism and prevention, but have expressed their "doubts" on the measures announced in late December by the American government, said the spokesperson, explaining that these measures appeared "sudden" and "imposed". The Europeans therefore asked the US to work with them more. The Americans acknowledged the need to exchange information as soon as possible with the Member State in question on risks to a flight before taking a decision, and said that they would look at security measures other than armed police. This meeting was thus "useful", and allowed "working areas" to be agreed on, continued the same source. Even if it will, in future, be up to each Member State to decide, on the basis of information received, whether to put armed police on a flight, the EU will think about establishing a co-operation protocol between Member States which agree to armed police presence and the US. It will also look into establishing common standards for police officers, which will only be applied in the States in question. The Commission will stay in touch with the Member States on both initiatives. Another reflection to be carried out, this time within each Member State, will examine who, from airlines and Member States, will carry the costs of these measures. "Training and implementation of police officers will cost several million", said the spokesperson, adding: "the Commission has said that it will be open to considering aid relating to public safety" in line with its October 2001 communication, which was adopted after the attacks of 11 September.
Washington to look at alternatives measures to armed officers
Soon after the meeting, Asa Hutchinson, who led the American delegation, said he felt the meeting had been "positive", welcoming the spirit of co-operation and openness on the issues put to him. "Today, we have created a framework for co-operation" in this field, he said, adding that the US would now "work bilaterally with governments to establish protocols" providing responses to threats identified by the information services, including alternative measures they are prepared to look at, such as tougher passenger screening on the ground, as long as they guarantee the same level of security as armed police officers on the aircraft. But, he said, the US "reserves the right to say that an aircraft may not enter our air space (...) is the safety of the passengers is in danger". "We are in a new era of air safety, confronting specific threats (and) passenger safety must be the priority", he added. At the moment, only a "handful" of European countries have programmes on armed police on board aircraft, and the United States hope to see this "double". He stressed that the presence of armed police should continue to be the exception rather than the rule, required "on a selective and infrequent (...), case-by-case basis". Mr Hutchinson also vigorously defended himself about any unilateral vagueness in this case. "My role (here) was not to persuade, to put pressure but to express our point of view and to improve co-operation, in order to ensure optimum passenger safety" on transatlantic flights. "It is a misunderstanding to think that we intend to work unilaterally", and it is "impossible to succeed without co-operation across comprehensive programmes" he said, citing information sharing between information services and bilateral work during last December's "orange" alert. This was also a time of lessons learned for his administration, he said, adding that he would, in future, commit to "improving our communication" (on the American "sensitivity" for the "sovereignty of the European nations", even though "their aircraft entering our airspace concerns us"), and sending information on specific risks "early enough".