Alain Juppé in Brussels: "I came to give color to Defense Europe"
« I came here to show the French determination to restore color to Defense Europe” affirmed Alain Juppé, yesterday (Thursday) in front of the "Vip Corner" of the European Commission to some journalists (including me) to report "quickly because I have a Thalys to take" (the one at 16:37 p.m.), of his meeting with Cathy Ashton (dressed for the occasion in a flashy turquoise blue suit) and José-Manuel Barroso (more classic).
Indeed, giving some color to the PeSDC was necessary, on the French side, where we could have some doubts, as on the European side. In any case, the Minister believes in it and wanted to say it loud and clear to journalists and to the High Representative. On two counts. " Defense Europe is necessary. Europe cannot claim a role at the international level if it is not able to ensure its security independently. And it is also a budgetary requirement »
The role of the European Defense Agency, fundamental
“Coming together is very useful he said, taking the example of Franco-British cooperation. " France can no longer afford to have two carrier battle groups. Together, with the UK, we are preserving this capability. Sharing capacities does not automatically mean reducing but having efficiency ". Alain Juppé also wanted to highlight how much this cooperation was " opened » in particular to Germany, « if she wanted and how much it fitted into a more general European effort, particularly in in terms of what is known as pooling and sharing, the European Defense Agency has a leading role ».
The Minister notably defended this necessary economic exercise initiated around the German-French-Polish paper, from Weimar, on capacities. A paper to which the High Representative replied by post (paper to come).
Cathy Ashton available if member states agree
The Minister also gave his opinion on Cathy Ashton's position on the PeSDC. " I know some are skeptical he replied. But I can assure you that Cathy Ashton seemed to me perfectly convinced ". And to clarify: Cathy Ashton assured me that it is up to the government to take initiatives but that she was very available to follow up on these initiatives ". A very good definition, in my opinion, of Cathy Ashton's position on European defense policy. No own initiative but follow-up of the own initiatives of the Member States if they really want it. We are far from the ambitions and the text of the Treaty of Lisbon... But it is the European Realpolitik of the moment!
We temporize on the Ivory Coast, we press on the Sahel
The issue of crises in the world was also addressed. Regarding Côte d'Ivoire, the Minister repeated the French position: " There is only one legitimate president, Alassane Ouattara. And we support the strengthening of sanctions, financial ". He closed the hypothesis of a possible European coordinated action to support the United Nations which had called on Europeans for help, a call relayed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Alliot-Marie, with whom the current definitely does not seem to pass. . " There is no military action planned ».
On the Sahel, he was more verbose, believing that the threat did not only concern France. It is Europe that is entirely concerned. We have there an area with multiple traffics of all kinds (drugs...). And we have every interest in combining our efforts. This is a subject that I discussed in particular with JM Barroso, he said. " We have a training component, particularly for security forces, and a development component »
A European summit dedicated to Defense
To underline the importance of this subject, Alain Juppé also felt that the Heads of State and Government should consider " on these European Defense issues on the occasion of a European summit”. France is thus the third country after Italy and Greece to speak out publicly in favor of putting this theme on the agenda.
