Early EU-NATO talks likely on protecting military secrets

Date: 18/05/2000

By Simon Taylor

EU AND NATO officials could begin work on rules to prevent vital military intelligence falling into the wrong hands within a month following France's decision to drop its opposition to extending links with the transatlantic alliance.

Union diplomats say the political will now exists to launch discussions between EU military experts and their NATO counterparts on key security issues before next month's summit of Union leaders. "Work on security arrangements could start informally before Feira," said one.

Hopes of an early start to the negotiations represent the first fruit of France's decision last month to sanction increased ties with the military alliance. Diplomats say this will improve the atmosphere at next week's meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Florence.

"There had been concern about the slowness of progress until we got the proposal for four interim groups. Until a month ago, all we had was a breakfast meeting," said one NATO source, referring to Paris' previous insistence that contacts be limited to a weekly breakfast meeting between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and NATO Secretary-General George Robertson.

The breakthrough has been made possible by joint Anglo-French proposals to create four committees which would meet on an ad hoc basis to discuss key aspects of the relationship with NATO. The four subjects to be tackled are a joint security agreement, military capabilities, the EU's access to NATO equipment and permanent arrangements for the two bodies.

The initiative was enthusiastically received by member states, which described it as a "breakthrough" in developing the Union's new security and defence policy. But it had been thought until this week that the committees would not begin discussions until after the Feira summit.

EU diplomats are now optimistic that work can start before then on how to safeguard intelligence to be shared between the two organisations, tackling key issues such as the security vetting of personnel, the protection and classification of documents, and establishing secure communications channels.

NATO foreign ministers are expected to discuss progress to date in building a European security and defence policy at their meeting next week. But they will not take a formal position on the EU's plans as this will be their first opportunity to consider the Union's blueprint for consulting non-EU NATO members. Turkey has already expressed concern that the Union's plan, which involves regular ambassador-level meetings, would mean a loss of influence over decisions relating to military action.

EU and NATO officials could begin work on rules to prevent vital military intelligence falling into the wrong hands within a month following France's decision to drop its opposition to extending links with the transatlantic alliance.