Britain in secret EU army deal
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Naples
(Filed: 29/11/2003)
Britain has taken a dramatic step towards a fully-fledged European army, signing up to Franco-German proposals for a planning headquarters outside Nato, it emerged yesterday.
The deal reached by British, German and French officials in secret talks in Berlin this week establishes an "operational" command in Brussels, allowing the EU to run day-to-day battlefield missions for the first time.
Risking a major clash with Washington, it points to a definitive break with British defence doctrine of the last half century. But British officials hinted last night that Tony Blair would re-write the agreement if America was adamantly opposed.
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, was caught flat-footed yesterday at a summit of EU foreign ministers in Naples when the deal leaked in the French press before Britain had a chance to seek approval from Washington.
The British had expected to notify President George W Bush on Thursday but the plans were thrown out by his surprise trip to Baghdad.
In September, the Americans were stunned when they learned that Britain had agreed in general terms to an EU operational command, fearing that it would lead to a rival military structure and ultimately destroy Nato.
The Government appeared to row back on the commitment after intense pressure from Washington, but the latest deal suggests that No 10 is still inclined to cast its lot with the Europeans in defence.
The French newspaper Le Monde quoted chunks of the deal yesterday, reporting that it would start as a skeleton body and would also handle humanitarian missions. It said the unit would be "a European military headquarters in all but name".
The EU already has a 150-strong military staff but it is limited to "strategic planning" and is unable to manage field operations. The EU's military mission in Macedonia currently reports through the Nato chain of command.
Le Monde also cited Franco-British-German proposals for the new European constitution which were to be discussed by all 25 foreign ministers of the enlarged EU last night over dinner.
These include "structured co-operation" in defence to allow a vanguard of states to press ahead, provided they have the muscle to mobilise troops within 30 days for missions of up to four months.
It would take a vote by qualified majority of all EU states to trigger the vanguard force which would then become a permanent EU military arm acting in the name of the EU.
www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
