The 27 looking for a compromise on the operations center

(BRUSSELS2 - EU Council of Ministers) The ambassadors of the COPS - the political and security committee - are still seeking an agreement on the conclusions of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs concerning the European Defense Policy (ESDP). The dinner yesterday (November 30) between Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs did not, in fact, lead to an agreement. And the discussions resumed this morning, at the level of the ambassadors. " We see them circling the council halls” a European diplomat told me. And that discusses all over the place. Informal bilateral discussions are also planned at the level of certain ministers. Thus a bilateral meeting between the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and his British counterpart must take place.

The challenge: activate the operations center

The focus of the discussion now no longer revolves around the establishment of a permanent operations headquarters. The supporters of this advance (the "Weimar" in particular) took note of the British veto and gave up. In exchange, they would like to move forward on the improvement of the existing system and in particular the activation of the existing operations center (OpsCenter in the jargon). Implemented since 2004, the OpsCenter has never been used. The room provided for this purpose is ready. All the material too, ready to use, at least theoretically. Computers in a box, on the table or in the hallway. The staff of the General Staff is ready for this option (if it is reinforced if necessary by some national experts). But now, for 7 years, the Member States have never reached an agreement to trigger this tool, preferring to activate one of the five headquarters (OHQ) set up at national level (*).

Seeking agreement on a common language

The draft Council conclusions had, in fact, provided (in paragraph 32) for three different, more or less precise elements of language: 1) the triggering of the operations center - "according to the terms of reference" for new operations , 2) the triggering of the operations center for the EUTM Somalia mission and the future mission in the Horn of Africa, 3) the possibility of triggering as soon as possible. But no agreement had yet been reached at the end of the morning. On the one hand, the French (with the "Weimar") made it a point of honor and did not hesitate to see this center of operations activated, on the other the British - helped by the Latvians and a few others - in make an inverse ideological question and totally refuse it. And each is trying to win supporters to their cause.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(*) Northwood (UK), Suresnes Mont-Valérien (France), Potsdam (Germany), Rome (Italy), Larissa (Greece). Currently only the Northwood OHQ is in operation (for the EUNAVFOR Atalanta anti-piracy operation). OHQ Rome was used for the stillborn operation Eufor Libya. The Mont-Valérien OHQ for Operation EUFOR Tchad (2008) and Operation Artémis Congo (2003). Potsdam OHQ for Operation Eufor RD Congo (2006)