Brok calls for comprehensive security plan

Date: 09/10/2003

By David Cronin

AN EU security strategy must offer a comprehensive approach to the causes and symptoms of terrorism, that counterbalances the "narrowly military focus of the current US administration", a European Parliament report has argued.

Written by German Christian Democrat Elmar Brok and debated by the assembly's foreign affairs committee this week, the report identifies terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and "unstable, misgoverned states" as the three biggest threats to Europe. To confront them, "it will be necessary to adopt comprehensive policies to combat poverty, protect against climate change, safeguard human rights and promote good governance, while not excluding military deployment as a last resort".

But the MEP adds: "Only if Europe develops the political will to put the general interest before specific national interests can it be a partner on equal terms with the US."

He labels the war in Iraq "a foreign policy earthquake" that "caused the entire scaffolding supporting the credibility of [the EU's common foreign and security policy] to collapse", caused splits between member states, shattered transatlantic relations and drew multilateral organizations such as the UN and NATO "into the maelstrom of US unilateralist policy".

While endorsing the plan to appoint an EU foreign minister, Brok warns the post will only work effectively if the external relations departments of the European Commission and Council of Ministers were merged "as a single foreign office within the Commission".

He also notes the failure of the draft constitution prepared by the future of Europe Convention to drop the unanimity requirement in foreign policy decisions.

A report by German MEP Elmar Brok was debated by the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy on 6 October 2003.

http://europarl.europa.eu/committees/afet_home.htm http://europarl.europa.eu/committees/afet_home.htm

---