Informal defense of Gothenburg: success will be seen in November
(BRUSSELS2 / In Göteborg) The informal meeting of EU Defense Ministers - under the Swedish presidency - came to a quiet end on Tuesday after discussing a whole series of subjects: maritime surveillance (Sweden wants to strengthen EU cooperation in maritime surveillance), battlegroups (The Battlegroup Flexibility Discussion Will Continue), the future mission in Somalia (read: Europeans not very enthusiastic about an SSR mission in Somalia), the strengthening of the European effort in Afghanistan, industrial markets (with the discussion of the future budget of the European Defense Agency)...
A merit: to open the discussion. The Swedish presidency will doubtless not have obtained the results commensurate with its ambitions. Far from it, even if Defense Minister Tolgfors boasted (in the final press conference) of major successes. One could even say that there is failure in everything, at first sight... But that would be a mistake. Because these informal meetings are mainly intended to allow a discussion to be deepened, to identify where the lines of convergence or resistance are, to detect the problems to be solved or the decisions to be taken. For example, on the training mission in Somalia. But the time for decisions and negotiations is reserved for other forums (bilaterally or in formal meetings). As one participant testified, the Swedish Presidency " had the merit of opening the discussion on somewhat taboo subjects, for example Battlegroups, in a very open way, without wanting to push towards a solution ". In fact, it was in November, at the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, that we could really say whether this meeting was a failure or... a success.
Organization (almost impeccable). In terms of organization, what can I say, nothing: everything was perfectly organized. And the journalists were able to work to their heart's content (excellent chocolate cakes -:), simple cuisine - fish or chicken, rice or potatoes, but to the point, served by a cook who spoke perfect French (long live immigration! he was Tunisian). The Swedes had gone all out and perhaps thought a little big. The security forces (police, military, private) were omnipresent, in uniform and in civilian clothes. No doubt the memory
cooking protests that had slipped at the summit of Gothenburg in 2001. But not aggressive. Firm and flexible.
(Photo credit: © NGV)
