Speech
by Portugal's
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Jaime Jos Matos da Gama
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to take this opportunity to brief you on the progress made
by the EU regarding the development of the common European Security and
Defence.
This policy involves a dimension for dialogue and co-operation with non-EU
countries, which reflects the same concern for transparency, inclusiveness
and co-operation that also informs this council.
The EU's aim is to improve its own military and civil capabilities for
crisis management, Atlantic Alliance remaining at the core of our collective
security and defence tasks.
Last March, the new interim structures started functioning and are now
working to full speed.
In the European Council in Feira, we expect to approve the work in progress
regarding the improvement of our military capabilities. The headline goal
constitutes one of our main priorities. Before the end of the year we
will have a pledging capabilities conference. This will be real forces
for peacekeeping, not rhetoric inventories for conceptual exercise.
The EU is also committed to establish a fruitful, strong and coherent
relation with NATO. The negotiation of a document on EU-NATO relations
is now finished. It foresees the establishment of four thematic working
groups, on subjects of immediate interest for both organisations: Security,
European military capabilities, Berlin plus and the definition of the
permanent arrangement for EU-NATO relations.
The modalities for the relation between the EU and third countries were
also finalised. I am sure that they accommodate the expectations of all
countries concerned. There will be a single and inclusive structure that
in routine time foresees meetings between all third countries and meetings
with non-EU European allies including at ministerial level. In the pre-operational
phase, these consultations will be strengthened. During a EU-led Operation
contributing countries will participate in an Ad-Hoc committee of contributors
and will be considered as equal regarding decision-making.
The Portuguese presidency has meanwhile organised a meeting with all
third countries and also a meeting between the EU and the non-EU European
Allies.
Mr. Chairman,
As experience has repeatedly shown us, civil instruments for crisis management
are utmost importance. During our presidency we have made progress in
improving European civil capabilities. The European Union has at his disposal
a large number of civil instruments, which need to be reinforced, and
we are now working very hard on civil concrete targets, as well as another
on how to improve our civil police capabilities.
A committee for civil crisis management has already been approved and
certain new EU structures, such as the situation centre and the coordination
mechanism are in place in the policy unit/council secretariat.
Our final aim is to have a joint military and civil capacity to face
all phases of a crisis and, whenever possible, to make use of all "soft
security" instruments that can prevent a potential crisis situation.
Through the EU-NATO platform this exercise will also benefit from PfP
experience and its contribution to shared objectives. Common European
security and defence policy should be regarded as a challenge for all
of us. We all share the same values and principles and our final aim is
a common one: to promote stability and peace in the Euro-Atlantic area,
around it and around the entire world.
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