DATE=12/6/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-U DEFENSE (L-ONLY) CQ
NUMBER=2-256890
BYLINE=ROB PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  European Union foreign ministers have approved 
plans for strengthening Europe's defense policy.  The 
documents are expected to be adopted by European 
leaders when they meet later this week.  Correspondent 
Ron Pemstein reports from Brussels on the European 
Union's military plans.

TEXT:  The plans are long-range.  By the year 2003, 
the European Union wants to have a rapid reaction 
force of 15-brigades, 50 to 60-thousand soldiers, who 
can be deployed within 60-days and sustained in the 
field for at least one-year.

These special forces will operate in crisis situations 
where NATO as a whole is not engaged.  European Union 
foreign ministers have approved the documents that 
will be endorsed by their leaders when they meet in 
Helsinki later this week.  Since 11 of the 15-
countries are also NATO members, the documents should 
be acceptable to NATO.  

The plan says the European Union's improved military 
capabilities should not duplicate NATO's.  The member 
states in NATO should be able to play their full role 
in the alliance while conducting effective operations 
for the European Union. 

The documents also say members of NATO that are not 
members of the European Union - will also be invited 
to build up European capabilities.  That will open the 
way for Norway, Poland, and Turkey, NATO members who 
are not part of the European Union.  

/// OPT ///  The long-range plan also calls for 
collective work to repair some of Europe's 
shortcomings identified during the war in Kosovo.  
They include military early warning, establishment of 
a European air transport command, and a strategic sea 
lift capacity.  /// END OPT ///

The first steps will be taken in March when the 
European Union will set up temporary military 
structures to coordinate its internal effort and its 
communication with NATO.  Finnish spokesman Reijho 
Kemppinen says those plans remain sketchy.

            /// KEMPPINEN ACT ///

      The things we are doing now, and are preparing 
      to do, are something that amounts to untested 
      waters for the European Union.  We are creating 
      new bodies, we are trying our best to develop 
      the decision making of the Union into areas 
      where it has never ever been active before and 
      many are of the opinion that interim structures 
      serve a definite purpose in that sense.

            /// END ACT ///

NATO has wanted a formal committee to coordinate 
operations with the European Union.  The E-U defense 
Chief Javier Solana already meets informally with his 
successor at NATO, George Robertson.  If the European 
Union wants to use NATO equipment for its own military 
operations, the two organizations will have to 
cooperate.

The European leaders in Helsinki are expected to 
approve the plan, but officials say the leaders may 
change the language on relations with non-E-U 
countries.  Also subject to change is wording about 
what kind of institutions the European Union needs for 
a single security and defense policy.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RP/GE/RAE 



06-Dec-1999 12:37 PM EDT (06-Dec-1999 1737 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.