The necessary revival of the Weimar triangle

(BRUXELLES2) Continuing his European tour, Jean-Yves le Drian was in Warsaw on Monday (July 23) to meet his counterpart Thomas Siemoniak. Objective - as the two ministers recalled: "relaunch cooperation and dialogue between the countries of the Weimar Triangle".

A cooperation that has, for the moment, led - in our opinion - to many political positions but few results. A good common paper, sometimes common positions, sometimes not (cf. Libya, NATO summit...), but which has not yet completely left its mark at European level, as it should. In short, good talk, some consequences but not up to the crisis encountered.

Budget + Threats = More active cooperation

Jean-Yves Le Drian seems aware of this state of affairs even if he does not admit it publicly. And in Warsaw he heard the gong ringing. " Strengthening common European defense is an unavoidable issue ". Particularly grow there budgetary constraints and the need to develop the necessary capacities ". " Given the multitude of new threats, the appropriate step now is to activate cooperation in the Weimar Triangle” he explained during this meeting. His Foreign Affairs colleague Laurent Fabius, on a visit to Warsaw a few days later, made the remarks before the Polish ambassadors, explaining the need for European defense (read: Fabius defends the revival of European defence. A priority for France). Different topics were discussed: upcoming exercises, purchases, the battlegroup (see below), but also according to our information the latest conclusions of the NATO summit (and France's refusal to strengthen the joint financing of the Atlantic alliance), Africa (and the situation in the Sahel in particular) and Kosovo (where the two countries have withdrawn their law enforcement police forces, which poses some problems for the heads of the Eulex and the Kfor).

Territory defense

Identical opinion but with a different perspective on the Polish side. For the Polish Minister of Defence, this Weimar triangle is not only an important vector at the level of the EU but also of the Atlantic Alliance. " This cooperation has great potential, essential for the implementation of specific policy proposals within the EU and NATO” Siemoniak said. France will thus participate, with more than 1000 soldiers, in the Steadfast Jazz 2013 exercise. An important point for the Poles because it is part of the " implementation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty”.

Purchasing: the (new) nerve of the "war"

Franco-Polish cooperation could also address the issue of military procurement. Thus a bilateral meeting will soon be organized bringing together specialists from both sides - General Delegation for Armaments, French side (from France - representatives of the Armaments Directorate, on the Polish side - Under-Secretary of State for modernization and arms).

Announcement of a battlegroup from Weimar

A so-called "Weimar" battlegroup will be " set up by 2013 "announced the two ministers, battle group " which could serve as an example of cooperation at European level ". This initiative will indeed be a "life-size" opportunity to also test the interoperability of armies. But from there to presenting this implementation as a result of the meeting, there is a step that politicians can take; but not the journalists... The planning of this "battlegroup" bringing together French, Germans and Poles in the first half of 1 has been known and planned in the European authorities... for at least 2013 years! The planning document dating from May 4 that I was able to find in my archives testifies to this... And the formalization of this cooperation had already been made in July 2008 (at the start of the Polish EU Presidency) - read : Weimar Battlegroup Agreement. As for the training schedule, it has already begun... And the readers of this blog have known the main tenets of it for several months already! Read : Battlegroup Weimar in training. The organization chart released at the time...

Read also:

• Three concrete projects for the “Weimar”
• The club of 5. Spain and Italy join the trio of Weimar on the European HQ
• A bitter and divided Weimar triangle (maj)
• The Seminarians of the Weimar Triangle
• A detailed reply to the letter from Weimar
• The “Weimar” paper soon adopted by the 27
• EU-Russia security committee pleads Weimar triangle
• The Weimar Triangle in informal format, at the castle
• States take back the initiative. Paris, Berlin, Warsaw write to Cathy…