Brussels, 13/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - Austria's Minister of Defence, Günther Platter, met the military attachés of EU Member States in Vienna on Wednesday to set out the Austrian EU Presidency's priorities relating to European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), a Presidency press release states. EU-conducted civil and military operations, civilian-military coordination and the development of EU military capabilities and the Balkans will be focal points of the Austrian Presidency's programme. Austria also intends to use ESDP to ensure “internal security through external security”, the minister said.
The above themes will be developed by EU directors responsible for defence strategy in Vienna on 19 and 20 January before the informal meeting of EU defence ministers on 6 and 7 March in Innsbruck.