Brussels, 17/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - During his first press meeting on Tuesday 16 January in Brussels, the new chairman of the EU Military Committee, Henri Bentégeat, who succeeded General Mosca-Moschini last November, acknowledged that no-one, not even chiefs of staff, really understand what the chairman of the EU Military Committee or chairman of the NATO Military Committee do. He explained that he acts as spokesman for the EU chiefs of staff, and that he summons their representatives each week to learn their opinions on aspects relating to security and EU-led operations. The chairman of the Military Committee is also military advisor to the EU high representative and the “military point of contact for all ESDP operations”. General Henri Bentégeat, former Chief of Staff of the French armed forces, above all seized the opportunity provided by this meeting to take stock of ESDP activities in 2006 and to identity prospects for 2007.
“The year 2006 was a very good year” for ESDP, Bentégeat said, stressing the success of operations conducted in DRC and Bosnia where it has now become possible to “move on to a new form of military presence”. The general also cited the declaration on the full operational capacity of battle groups (GT-1500) and the setting in place of the Operations Centre which has been ready to operate since 1 January 2007. He specified that the MILEX O7 exercise will make it possible to test how the centre is used. For now, the satellite liaison is still not operational. If the centre were to be used this year, satellite services would have to be hired in order to be able to communicate with force headquarters. It is a small operations centre, the general admitted in answer to a question put to him. There will only be 8 persons on the permanent staff there and, when working at full capacity, 89 military (by way of comparison, the Potsdam HQ had 200 personnel during the DRC operation). “Only very modest operations can be conducted there … up to about 200 men”, the general said.
There are many new challenges to be faced in 2007. Two major civilian missions are being launched in Kosovo (the concept of the police operation is to be submitted to COPS this month) and in Afghanistan, and the force in Bosnia must be successfully transformed. On the subject of Bosnia, the general recalled that troops are to be scaled down from 6,500 to 2,500, with a network of observation teams covering the whole territory, as well as a rapid response force - a multinational battalion initially headed by Spain - and troops on standby outside Bosnian territory. COPS is due to adopt the OPLAN in February.
The 1500 battlegroups will have to be completed with a rapid response air capability and a rapid response maritime capability in order to form a joint forces global response capability, the chairman of the Military Committee continued, before speaking of continuing development of the civilian-military capability. This, he said, is the “EU's main asset” that Javier Solana “hopes to see progress rapidly in 2007”. The general pointed out that the German EU Presidency trusts the ESDP will be “more active” especially in the Balkans, in Afghanistan and in the context of strengthened advisory missions for reform of the army and police forces in DRC. After drawing up the 2006 Force Catalogue on the basis of proposals by Member States, it will be necessary to analyse where weaknesses lie and undertake to resolve them, the general said before going on to stress the need to swiftly set up an NEC concept (Network Enabled Capacities) for ESDP missions.
Answering press questions, the general returned to the subject of:
- the use of battlegroups: “I do not believe that engaging a battlegroup to the advantage of the NRF (Ed.: NATO Response Force) is very productive, but one must ensure that they are compatible and that their connectivity is guaranteed”, he said.
- the work of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Bentégeat said there is “real support” from the EU Military Committee for EDA initiatives. “It is essential that the military define their needs”, the general said, affirming that the chiefs of staff are very interested in the Capability Development Plan launched in December. He went on to add: “We, as military officers, do not see this as an attempt to control national budgetary cycles but rather as a very useful toolbox (…) to help nations plan their future needs”. (oj)