The Weimar Triangle in informal format, at the castle

(BRUSSELS2) The Genshagen Foundation - which has its headquarters in this superb castle, a few kilometers from Berlin - had the good idea of ​​bringing together, this Thursday and Friday, in a very informal way, some forty French, German and Polish specialists ( the Weimar triangle) around an idea: what if the Weimar Triangle could have a more concrete translation in terms of civil-military cooperation and European defense missions and stimulate new developments for the CSDP?

For two days, ministers in office or "veterans", soldiers who have often exercised leading responsibilities in the fields of European operations (1), ministerial officials, researchers from various institutions and a few journalists worked , etc.

These exchanges are covered (normally) by the Chatham House rule (non-quotable, non-attributable), which allows for informal exchanges. I will come back to this in future posts... Because, as one of the participants said, it is "The opportunity to get out of the somewhat soporific purrs that have punctuated the exchanges of the Weimar Triangle for too long".

A triangle that must widen in the United Kingdom

First observation apparently shared by many participants, if the Weimar triangle finds all its relevance in terms of defense because it brings together three major countries in the field, it will not be able to find all its relevance and effectiveness without associating the United Kingdom. A proposal supported by Germany. " In the absence of a rectangle, could we not find another formula said one participant. And why not a formula of "triangular plus"Or"3 + 1" have specified others. These last formulas would have an advantage: to allow the British to find their full place in the discussions, without being formally associated, nor obliged to participate systematically.

(1) We can cite: the German Christian Schmidt, Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence, the Frenchman Alain Richard or the Pole Janusz Onyskiewicz —; soldiers — French General Ganascia (former head of Eufor Tchad and now consultant for NGOs) and General Beth (former of the Force Licorne and now director of military and defense cooperation) General Pacek (former deputy head of Eufor Tchad and now adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Polish Armed Forces), German Rear Admiral Krause (Joint Chief of Staff for Operations, etc.), etc.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)