Five EU countries call for new military ‘structure’

Report of a meeting of the Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland in Paris on the 15 November 2012. The five countries issued a statement calling for 'an ambitious European policy in the field of security and defence'. The EU Union needed a new military 'structure' to manage overseas operations. 'We are convinced that the EU must set up, within a framework yet to-be-defined, true civilian-military structures to plan and conduct missions and operations.'

The United Kingdom did not take part in the meeting.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland saw the launch of EU civil-military missions, in Somalia, Mali, Libya, Kosovo, Georgia and Afghanistan, as a means to build momentum for a permanent EU command structure ('Operational Headquarters) to oversee a growing number of operations. The UK opposed an EU OHQ in case it was came to rival NatO.

• Primary Source

France: Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain Paris, 15 November 2012 http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/IMG/pdf/121114_Outcome_proposal_Final.pdf

Daily Telegraph, 11.11.12: EU military headquarters plans 'backed by Baroness Ashton' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/9670265/EU-military-headquarters-plans-backed-by-Baroness-Ashton.html

Daily Telegraph, 16.11.12: Pressure on Cameron to block EU army HQ plans http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/9683539/Pressure-on-Cameron-to-block-EU-army-HQ-plans.html

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