Agreement on the EU command center, snatch (upd2)
(BRUSSELS2 - EU Council of Ministers) Victory! This is somewhat the message of Alain Juppé, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs on leaving the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Before any other subject, Juppé insisted on telling the journalists (including B2) who were waiting for him that there was an agreement on the CSDP (the common security and defense policy). " A good deal. We will launch new operations (NB: for maritime capacity building in the Horn of Africa, and to support regional counter-terrorism cooperation in the Sahel). We have decided to activate the command center (OpsCenter) by January for our operations in the Horn of Africa. And we have agreed to continue to work on the planning of a permanent capability to conduct operations. CSDP is relaunched he concluded.
On the British side, we are very circumspect and we put forward an opposite analysis. The idea of a permanent HQ is " abandoned William Hague confided to a few journalists. " It's just setting up an existing center for civil-military actions on an ad hoc basis. And it always takes unanimity to decide to use it. There is no change”.
(updated) The text of the conclusions
The text of the conclusions attests in a more diplomatic way to this agreement but endorses the main points. " The Council calls for optimal use of existing structures. In this context, when the nature of the operation does not require a national headquarters, the Council is ready to activate on an ad hoc basis the operations center (NB: Ops Center) in accordance with its terms of reference, for a specific CSDP operation. On this basis, the Council agrees to accelerate the planning for the activation of the operations center for operations in the Horn of Africa, at the latest at the next Foreign Affairs Council. » is it specified in point 32, according to the latest version (in English) that B2 was able to obtain. " The Council agrees to continue to examine the effectiveness of the performance of the European Union in the planning and conduct of civilian and military CSDP operations. Recalling the principles of unanimity and inclusiveness underlying the CSDP, the Council will decide on possible improvements on these bases, without prejudice to the Treaties and in the light of the High Representative's report on CSDP of July 2011." is specified in point 33.
This means in particular that the idea, a time evoked, by the "Weimar" of a permanent structured cooperation on the subject is abandoned. An idea advanced in fact mainly as a means of pressure, as confirmed to us by several diplomats of different origins. This also means that the two options mentioned by the High Representative in July - permanent HQ or improvement of the existing system - remain on the table.
OpsCenter activated in January, what it means
Concretely, the crucial point of the agreement is the command center (OpsCenter). This should be activated by January for the training operation for Somali soldiers (EUTM Somalia) which is underway in Uganda, but also possibly for the RMCB operation. A symbolic activation for a center that had never been activated since its establishment in 2004.
For EUTM Somalia, this does not mean a transfer of headquarters or additional staff. This mission did not currently have an operation headquarters (OHQ). The principle had indeed been decided at the time not to have an OHQ but a simple area command (FHQ) based in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, while the training center is located in Bihanga (further west of the country).
For the RMCB mission, it's a bit more problematic, because it's a civilian operation but with a lot of military elements. The conduct of civilian operations normally falls today under the CPCC, the civilian operations management structure of the European diplomatic service. While the planning is conducted by the CMPD. And the terms of reference of the operations center are dated (pre-Lisbon Treaty).
For Eunavfor Atalanta, no change, the Northwood headquarters (near London) remains in operation. And the OpsCenter will not be enabled.
Green light for the RMCB operation
The Maritime Capacity Building Operation (RMCB) is already on track. A crisis management concept (CMC) is ready. But for practical reasons, it could not be adopted at this Council. This caused a little misunderstanding between diplomats and lawyers. These arguing that one could not in the conclusions indicate that it was adopted if it was not. It will be very soon, either in written procedure, or in point A of a next council.
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Relaunch of the counter-terrorist support mission in the Sahel
As for the regional support operation in the Sahel, against Al Qaeda terrorism, it is much less advanced. The option of a PeSDC mission considered for a time was then slightly buried. It is reappearing today thanks to a push from several Member States (and also, it must be admitted, from the pressure on the ground). And that's a good thing, in my opinion. Admittedly, for the moment nothing is ready on the European side. But an appointment has already been made, on December 8. A first meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the region (the 4 initiators of this cooperation - Algeria, Mali, Niger, Mauritania - + Burkina-Faso, Chad, Nigeria) and their counterparts from the European Union takes place in Nouakchott.
Read also: The CSDP mission for the Sahel will wait a while longer...
Comment: A significant and necessary step forward
The "Weimar" therefore obtained a breakthrough from the British who opposed any activation of this OpsCenter. Progress which may seem very small in view of the stakes but which constitutes a real feat on a file blocked for years. If they did not succeed in obtaining the establishment of the permanent headquarters (OHQ), they also succeeded in not burying the project, since the mandate was given to the High Representative to continue the work. They also managed to clear the way for the Regional Maritime Capabilities Support Mission (RMCB) which had been in the pipeline for more than two years and to bring the Sahel mission out of the rut into which it had fallen. This gives a bit of hope compared to the rather pessimistic tone of the last few months.
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