Military - New Material (14)
01 December 1996
Industry rejects EC plan in favour of WEAG route. Jane's Defence Weekly 19.6.96. The European Defence Industry Group (EDIG) the main defence lobby organization in Europe has rejected a plan by the European Commission for the establishment of a unified armament market. EDIG is against the proposal to repeal the European Treaty Article 223 which protects national military industries from competition.
UK Italy line up to join Franco-German agency. Jane's Defence Weekly 26.6.96. The UK and Italy will apply to become members of the Franco-German armaments agency. This agency is seen as an alternative to the stalled Western European Armaments Group (WEAG).
EU group moves ahead on common arms policy. Jane's Defence Weekly 3.7.96. As a follow-up to a European Commission staff proposal earlier this year a group called "Polarm" (armaments policy) including representatives of member states and the commission is investigating European armaments cooperation. The discussions are unusual since they have gone ahead without prior formal approval of the Council of Ministers.
European dream becomes reality with Helios. Jane's Defence Weekly 24.7.96. Europe has quietly begun receiving satellite monitoring photographs of the Bosnian region from its first spy- satellite Helios launched in July last year.
KSK - Die Elitetruppe von "Eisernen Kreuz" [KSK - Elite Force of the "Iron Cross"]. AMI no 5 1996. Barely noticed by outside observers the Bundeswehr has in april 1996 set up a Kommando Spezialstreitkrafte [Special Forces Command].
Europaische Rustungszusammenarbeit [European Armaments Cooperation]. Europeaische Wehrkunde no 7 1996. Matching the US efforts on defence technology will mean higher defence budgets for the EU countries.
Trouble over the Horizon. International Defense Review no 6, 1996. Europe's common frigate program beset by delays.
Les troupes parachutistes d'Europe [European paratroopers]. Raids (French edition) no 123 August 1996. Articles on Swiss, Portuguese, Italian, French and Russian paratroop units.
Der Beitrag Spaniens zum Eurokorps [Spain's contribution to Eurocorps]. Wehrtechnik no 6 1996.
Allies look impotent without US NATO says. International Herald Tribune 30.7.96. With the Cold War over Europe's armed forces start slipping in combat quality according to military experts and NATO officials.
Hawks and doves Andrea Needham. Squall No. 13 (Summer) 1996, pp34-35. Article by one of four women who in January broke into a British Aerospace plant in Lancashire and disarmed a Hawk fighter aircraft destined for the military dictatorship in Indonesia. In August the four women were cleared of conspiracy and criminal damage charges by a jury.
Technology Diffusion and Proliferation. Wilton Park papers no 114 February 1996 (Richard Latter) HMSO 22 pages 5.00.
Europe and NATO expansion Frank Blackaby. Socialist Renewal/European Labour Forum pamphlet no 9 12 pages 1.50
European Labour Forum Bertrand Russell House Gamble Street, Nottingham NG7 4ET.
Kirsten Sellars The killing fields. Arena June 1996 pp70-75
Useful article on anti-personnel mines and the UN proposal to restrict the use and export of these indiscriminate weapons.
Robert Fisk Collateral damage. Independent on Sunday 11.8.96. This is an account of the death of Raafat al-Ghossain a civilian who was killed during the US bombing by UK-based American F-111 planes of Tripoli Libya in April 1986. The Americans initially blamed Libyan anti-aircraft fire but eventually acknowledged that she might be a victim of "collateral damage".
Parliamentary debates
Armed Forces Bill Lords 3.6.96. cols. 1100-1150 Royal Air Force Commons 6.6.96. cols. 730-812 Armed Forces Bill Lords 18.6.96. cols. CWH 1-50 Armed Forces Bill Lords 2.7.96. cols. 1381-1402 Ministry of Defence Housing Commons cols. 956-1005 Armed Forces Bill Lords 18.7.96. cols. 1140-1162 British Forces (Bosnia) 18.7.96. Commons cols. 1318-1343