Solana to boost EU’s humanitarian role

Date: 16/09/1999

By Simon Taylor

THE EU's new foreign policy chief Javier Solana will concentrate on boosting the Union's ability to deal with humanitarian emergencies such as that in East Timor when he takes office next month.

The crisis in the former Portuguese colony is seen by EU diplomats as exactly the type of situation in which humanitarian aid has to be backed by military muscle if the Union is to achieve its policy aims.

Sources close to Solana say East Timor will be a "test case" for the EU's ability to tackle regional emergencies in the future. One official said previous conflicts such as those in Kosovo and Bosnia had shown that wherever the Union tried to provide humanitarian relief, it had to work very closely with the military to be effective.

Solana has underlined his determination to focus on developing the Union's capability to use military action for humanitarian aims once he becomes high representative for foreign policy by recruiting two senior Commission officials with experience in disaster relief to work alongside him.

He has named Alberto Navarro, head of the EU's humanitarian aid office, as his chief advisor and Leonardo Schiavo, ex-deputy chef de cabinet to former Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino, as his number two.

Solana is also bringing his press officer from NATO, Christina Gallach, to work in the new unit and hopes to recruit most of its 20-strong staff before the office becomes operational on 18 October.

The NATO secretary-general has decided to take up his new post as 'Mr CFSP' earlier than originally planned so that he can participate in the EU-Russia summit in Helsinki on 22 October. This reflects the priority he is expected to give to boosting the Union's relations with Moscow.

Sources say another priority for the new voice of foreign policy will be to improve co-ordination in the Union's external relations. "He will try to bring more coherence in foreign policy," said one official.

Solana's focus on internal matters comes amid increasing concern that the EU's impact in the international arena is being undermined by the recent mushrooming of special agencies and initiatives such as those aimed at stabilising the Balkans.

Former Commission President Jacques Santer highlighted this problem in a letter to Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen in July, warning that the "multiplication of structures and initiatives is hurting the clarity and visibility of the EU's policies".

Union officials say the key test of Solana's effectiveness will be how much independence he can win from EU foreign ministers, as the new High Representative will need to play a very active role in drawing up foreign policy if he is to succeed in "adding value" to what Union governments can achieve alone.

Feature on the priorities and challenges facing the new 'Mr CFSP', Javier Solana.