Brussels, 20/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - Defence ministers of the European Union member states will be meeting in Brdo, Slovenia, on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 February. This first informal meeting of the year will begin this afternoon with a session devoted to EU operations in the Western Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo), as well as in Africa including not only EUFOR Chad/RCA but also support for UNAMID in Sudan, as well as security sector reform missions in DRC and in Guinea-Bissau.
Ministers will hear presentations by the successive commanders of the various EU operations. British General John McColl, Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe (D-SACEUR) and commander of the EU-led operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, will take stock of the operation “Althea”. Yves de Kermabon will speak of preparing the police and rule of law operation in Kosovo (EULEX Kosovo) launched by the Council on 16 February. General Patrick Nash of Ireland, who is the strategic commander of the EU's military operation in Chad and the Republic of Central Africa (EUFOR Chad/RCA) will present the latest developments of the mission and its main stages. Ministers will also be briefed on preparations for the European security sector reform advisory mission in Guinea-Bissau (EUSSR Guinea-Bissau) launched on 12 February, and on development of the EUSEC DRC mission.
During the second day, defence ministers will tackle the question of capabilities. French General Henri Bentégeat, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, is expected to present ministers with the latest progress in implementation of the 2010 Headline Goal. He is also expected to tackle the problem of personnel and equipment availability for ESDP missions. Alexander Weis, Executive Director of the European Defence Agency (EDA) will explain to ministers the role that the agency may play in bolstering military capabilities. Above all, he should return to the subject of increasing strategic airlift capabilities and the “European fleet” project approved by the agency's steering board on 15 February, at which national armaments directors gathered (EDD No103). Mr Weis is also to present the state of progress of the Capabilities Development Plan, which is due to be completed by May this year, as well as progress made in consolidating the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). The list of key technologies for European defence should be identified in May.
The third session will be on the EU's strategic partnerships and therefore on cooperation with NATO, the UN and the African Union (AU). EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana as well as NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and High Representative for the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Jean-Marie Guéhenno are to attend this informal meeting chaired by Slovenian Defence Minister Karl Erjavec. After lunch on Friday, the European troika will meet with the defence ministers of Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), who will be briefed on the results of the meeting.