Paris, 26/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - During the annual conference of the Institute for Security Studies of the European Union, held on Monday 26 September in Paris, Javier Solana, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), said that he was convinced of the CFSP's role in winning round the public to the European project. Despite the problem of the French and Dutch voting against the European Constitution, divergences on EU financial perspectives or the problems of economic growth in Europe, Mr Solana does not believe that Europe was in crisis again. He refuses to give in to any “self-denigration” but recognised that the problems for which the Constitution proposed solutions, still remained, including the area of external action. According to Mr Solana demands for coherency between political, economic and military instruments, a more effective EU representation and demands for professionalism in diplomacy had not lessened. He underlined that Europe remained in the top ranks of the most prosperous areas of the planet and that enterprise in the 15 had not stopped applauding enlargement to 25. He also said that Europe was the most accomplished and broadest model of political integration founded on law and freedoms. He criticised the “gradual disappearance” of multilateralism with which Europeans had grown up and the proliferation of bilateralism and ad hoc alliances. He spoke of the three regions in the world where the EU should be more actively involved:
- the Balkans: the final status of Kosovo, on which discussions are due to start later this year, is at the basis of the strategic agenda, the High Representative pointed out. In his view, the question cannot be resolved without considering the implications for the whole region. “We need a comprehensive approach so that all the pieces of the puzzle do fit together”, he said, recalling that the countries of the region (Croatia, FYROM, Albania and Bosnia) want to join the EU. Next year, the EU is expected to expand its commitment in the Middle East, Javier Solana said. One must seize the opportunity provided by disengagement from the Gaza Strip and do everything one can to ensure it is a success, he went on, saying: “For us Europeans, this is a chance to show that we are ready, not just to offer political support, but to commit resources and take political risks to make progress in this most intractable conflict”. He spoke of EU actions in the region (reform of the Palestinian police and reflections underway with a view to turning the EU's COPPS mission into a formal CFSP mission from next January. The High Representative recalled that the EU is expected, during the December European Council, to adopt a new strategy for Africa. According to Mr Solana, it will be necessary to develop '”more creative strategies for conflict prevention, crisis management, good governance, trade promotion and human rights protection”.
Mr Solana spoke of three fundamental achievements of CFSP over recent years. The EU now has structures and procedures allowing for decisions to be prepared and implemented in real time. From experience gained in operations and missions, Europeans have acquired “reflexes” and “sound experience”, the High Representative said. In his view, without the experience of the missions in the former Yugoslavia, Georgia and the Middle East (EUCCOPS in Palestine), the civil dimension of the ESDP would not have developed as it has. The success of the first autonomous military operations, like Artemis in 2003, or in liaison with NATO, as in Bosnia, open the way to new, ever more ambitious operations. The Aceh mission opens up the prospect of a new policy in Asia. The second achievement is that of a single crisis management capability that is neither purely civilian nor purely military but global. Mr Solana admitted that things are not perfect but that one must act in a pragmatic way. The third achievement is that of a doctrine, namely a certain vision of the world based on common interests and the resolve to defend those interests in an intelligent way with each of our partners. Such is the meaning of the security strategy set in place in 2003.
Replying to question, notably on the European Constitution, Mr Solana said that EU citizens wanted a stronger external policy and even a defence policy. He considered that they could apply mechanisms included in the Constitution regarding CFSP and ESDP, despite the French and Dutch no votes. In this context, Solana underlined the need to avoid paralysis and inertia, despite the difficult European political situation.