German Minister calls for Lisbon Treaty EU Army

GERMAN foreign minister Guido Westerwelle called for the EU to proceed with plans for a European army under the Lisbon Treaty, which he dubbed “the beginning and not the end” of a common security and defence policy.

His remarks at the annual Munich Security Conference followed a call by Berlin’s defence minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg to end what he called NATO’s “absurd” practice of unanimous decision-making.

“The (Lisbon) treaty lays out a common security and defence policy. The federal government wants to make progress on this front,” said Guido Westerwelle. “The long-term goal is to build up a European army under parliamentary control. The EU has to live up to political expectations of its role as a global player.”

The foreign minister sketched out a role for such an army as crisis management in a time of resource scarcity, to be developed by willing member states over time as a “motor for closer co-operation” in the EU. In a nod to NATO, Guido Westerwelle said such EU structures would not replace other military structures.

Germany’s top diplomat received backing for his plan from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who called for a “single European military-political space” in which no one country’s security was sacrificed for another.

“We want to overcome the bloc-thinking of the Cold War in Europe and create a new kind of mutual trust,” said Sergi Lavrov.

The weekend meeting in Munich, a think-in for defence players, was dominated by the ongoing standoff with Iran over nuclear uranium enrichment which Tehran says is energy and not military-related, as western countries fear.

EU foreign minister Catherine Ashton said the “possibilities of dialogue are not yet exhausted”, despite clear impatience from other conference speakers.

Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki made a surprise appearance in Munich, raising hopes of an important announcement, only to dash them again with a general statement about “conducive ground . . . to agreement in the near future”.

Mr zu Guttenberg dismissed Manouchehr Mottaki’s Munich trip as a “farce”.

Turning his attention to NATO, he called on an end to the “cultivated absurdity” of the alliance’s principle of unanimity in decision making. “We talk too much and act too little,” he said.

Lisbon paves way for EU/NATO alliance

COMMENTS by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Lisbon Treaty provides a platform for deeper ties between the EU and NATO confirms one of the main arguments against the Lisbon Treaty according to the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton: “This bears out one of the central arguments of those who called for a rejection of Lisbon. As Republican Sinn Féin argued in both referenda held in the 26 Counties the purpose of the Lisbon Treaty was to bring the EU project to its logical next step in the construction of an undemocratic and militarised superstate.

“Hillary Clinton’s comments regarding 'energy security' are significant. It would appear the ground is being prepared for NATO to act as the military arm of the EU - fighting the resource wars forecast by the then President of the EU Commission Jacques Delors in 1992 - over what have been identified as the key resources of water, food and energy."

“The world vision set out by Hillary Clinton is one where the political and economic hegemony of the rich northern hemisphere over the poor south will be enforced by NATO.” Des Dalton said.

Hillary Clinton was speaking at the French military academy in Paris on January 29.
Answering a question from her audience, Hillary Clinton said EU’s energy policy in particular would benefit from closer co-ordination with NATO. “They are no longer separated. It’s hard to say that security is only about what it was when Nato was formed and the EU has no role to play in security issues,” she said.

“These, of course, are decisions for the Europeans to make with respect to the EU.”
Hillary Clinton said she recognised that national differences must be respected, “even in the time of greater European integration”.

However, the complexity of today’s world was such that the development of common policies would serve the EU and NATO. In this respect the EU would concentrate on economic, development and political issues while NATO would deal mainly with security.

“Take, for example, energy security,” she said. “It would be the EU’s responsibility to create policies that would provide more independence and protection from intimidations when it comes to energy markets for its member nation. But I can also see how, in certain cases respecting energy, there may be a role for NATO as well.”

While it was important to respect and honour “foundation institutions”, she said questions should be asked about how they could function better.

Citing moves to reform NATO, Hilary Clinton said reforms at EU level would make co-operation with the military alliance easier.

“Under the Lisbon Treaty, with more focus and specific leadership attached to foreign policy and development assistance, there will be a way to better co-ordinate,” she said.

Although “some questions” had been raised in recent months about the depth of Washington’s commitment to Europe, she said European security was “an anchor” of US foreign policy.

US military forces will remain on the European continent to “deter attacks and to respond quickly” if any occur, she said.

NATO to act as the military arm of the EU

Statement by the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton

Comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Lisbon Treaty provides a platform for deeper ties between the EU and NATO confirms one of the main arguments against the Lisbon Treaty according to the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton who in a statement said:

“This bears out one of the central arguments of those who called for a rejection of Lisbon. As Republican Sinn Féin argued in both referenda held in the 26 Counties the purpose of the Lisbon Treaty was to bring the EU project to its logical next step in the construction of an undemocratic and militarised superstate.

“Hillary Clinton’s comments regarding “energy security” are significant. It would appear the ground is being prepared for NATO to act as the military arm of the EU in order to fight the resource wars - forecast by the then President of the EU Commission Jacques Delors in 1992 - over what have been identified as the key resources of water, food and energy.

“The world vision set out by Hillary Clinton is one where the political and economic hegemony of the rich northern hemisphere over the poor south will be enforced by NATO.” Des Dalton said.