Military - In brief (11)
01 September 2000
WEU: Armaments Cooperation Group to stay: The Western European Union's armaments cooperation group (WEAG) will continue as an independent entity after the larger defence organisation is absorbed into the European Union. The main reason is that WEAG cannot legally be transferred to the EU because of its mixed membership. Of the 13 members of the group ten belong to the EU but Iceland, Norway and Turkey do not. Norway and Iceland have no plans to join the EU, but Turkey does and for the purpose of military and armaments cooperation Turkish officials value a continued involvement in WEAG. The Turkish defence minister, Cakmakoglu argued at the May meeting of WEU defence and foreign ministers for Turkey's inclusion in EU armaments planning and that the WEAG could be a bridge. The WEAG discusses the harmonisation of defence export policies, the elimination of customs and technical barriers and other measures to consolidate Europe's defence industry. According to WEAG's chairman, Greek General Kirikas, the WEAG's short time goals are to increase its members aggregate national spending on defence research from 2.5% to 5% by the end of the year, a study on coordination of defence spending on equipment for October and a review of the prospects for an independent arms agency to set common military requirements and procurement goals. Defense News 29.5.00.
EU: Plans for intervention forces: Defence ministers met in September in France to detail the number of planes, ships and troops that a proposed European military force needs to tackle world crises. Since July four working groups have prepared the ground, one on military capacities, one on the exchange of confidential documents, one on the use by Europeans of NATO assets and one on liaison between EU and NATO. The 15 member states have to announce the forces each will commit to the rapid reaction force of between 50,000 and 60,000 troops, able to deploy within 60 days and sustain itself for a year without involvement from the US. The corps is due to be operational by 2003. A supply of 80,000 soldiers will be needed for humanitarian crises, rescue operations, peacekeeping and peacemaking. About 350 planes and 80 ships will be required. Some countries have already put numbers on the table - Germany pledged 18,000 troops and Belgium 3,500. The final offers have to be made at a force pledging conference in November before the Eurosummit in Nice. Le Monde 21.9.00 (Laurent Zecchini); Associated Press 22.9.00.