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Smart defence, working together means sharing a piece of sovereignty (General Abrial)

(credit: NATO)

(BRUSSELS2, exclusive) The new generation of NATO cooperation projects, Smart Defence, was designed and is being monitored at the Allied Transformation Command (ACT) in Norfolk, led since September 2009 by General Stéphane Abrial. I took advantage of my stay in Chicago to meet this French general who should, normally, end his mandate next fall.

You have just had the approval of Heads of State and Government for around twenty Smart Defense projects. Very modest all the same?

•The initial projects are modest, it's true, let's face it. But it's a start. This is only a first wave that meets all the criteria to be developed. We have a list of almost 200 proposals that are under consideration. We are therefore entering into a process that will take several years. They are essentially pilot projects intended to show that the concept is valid. Then, we can dig deeper to take an interest in increasingly complex and sensitive areas, and change multinational approaches.

Which ones for example?

• We could think about having projects for sharing combat aviation, cutting-edge technological capabilities for combat, intelligence exchanges. But we can't get to that level of cooperation right away. The level of complexity of the projects will thus increase as we reach the heart of sovereignty. Because doing things together amounts to sharing a piece of sovereignty. And it will take time. Because a change of mindset is needed to reconcile solidarity and sovereignty.

We have already had multinational cooperation projects in the past; not all have been marked with the seal of success, 🙂 What would make us more successful tomorrow?

• What makes me optimistic is how far we've come in just one year. I have criss-crossed Europe and been amazed at the will of States. We are moving slowly. The words are certainly the same as 15 years ago. But this time there is awareness that one cannot achieve without cooperation. Nations have taken the initiative. We have succeeded in reconciling the interests of the Alliance with the individual interest of each nation.

What is most important before starting a cooperation project?

• The needs must also be carefully studied. This is why we often insist on the strategic proximity of States, their willingness to work together. Thus, it is not the number of countries participating in a project that is important. On the contrary, even. It is better to have smaller groups, very compact, well determined. It is a matter of critical mass for the best efficiency of a project.

Behind these cooperations, there are often important industrial issues. Was this mentioned in your discussions? And how will this be taken into account?

• Of course. The industrial aspect was mentioned in each capital. Because the impact on employment and the economy are part of national interests. Everyone is afraid for the future of their own industry and everyone wants their interests to be taken into account. Everyone is also afraid of the greatest. The important thing is that it happens in a transparent and balanced way. We thus worked at the beginning with important companies. Because it was easier. Take the "FFCI" (Framework For Collaborative Interaction) initiative that I launched in October 2009. We are working today and want to work with smaller companies. Whatever their size, this puts each of the countries on an equal footing. Our vision is that everyone has the opportunity to participate. After… may the best man win.

How was the distribution of tasks between NATO's "smart defence" and the "pooling and sharing" of the European Union

• Alright. We tried to divide the tasks or to have complementary projects. This is the case, for example, for the medical support project: one works in the field of standards (NATO), the other in that of implementation (EU). Even when working on the same subject, we can be complementary. On the in-flight refueling project, there was a reflection. But it seemed natural for the European Union to take charge. In this area, there is no shortcoming of NATO as such (not of the Americans) but of the Europeans within NATO. If the Europeans fill this gap, it also strengthens NATO's capability.

Last question, is the reintegration of France positive in your opinion?

• It is unmistakable. France weighs, enormously. Much more than before. We are involved in all files, from start to finish. What changes and makes it possible to accompany, to influence the daily functioning of the Alliance. Previously, we were more spectators in certain Alliance projects, only being able to comment once the projects were defined.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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