A small pebble… British for the Central African Republic?
(BRUXELLES2 - exclusive) According to information collected by B2, the establishment of an EUFOR Bangui operation in the Central African Republic does not meet with as perfect a consensus as desired. The opposite would have been surprising.
On the one hand, the first meeting of the Political and Security Committee (COPS) was not as decisive as announced. The "green light" given was a green light in principle. " There was no in-depth discussion of either option. We simply asked the services to continue the preparation and planning work says a participant in the meeting. This is the planned procedure with two PSC meetings.
The "real" discussion will, in fact, take place at the ambassadors' meeting this Wednesday (January 15). With several questions: What exactly will be the objectives and contours of this mission (security or humanitarian)? What will be the rules of engagement? How long will it last? Who will ensure the relay of this "bridging" mission (bridge mission): the African Union or the UN, some countries are for one (Germany), others for the UN (*)? What will ministers decide on? The idea of deciding by Monday on a decision - former joint action - appears to be a real... challenge. Will there even be a decision in the formal sense. " We are a little stuck by the mandate of the European Council “says a diplomat from the seraglio.
Some uncertainty remains, however, at European level, a "small" concern named: United Kingdom. The British are wondering and want to consult their Parliament in particular before any decision. A diplomat of His Majesty also expressly doubted the possibility that the 28 could take any decision on a possible mission or operation of the CSDP in the Central African Republic, next Monday, and speaking more of humanitarian action.
NB: Those who follow European defense issues will not be really surprised. The British have always been very skeptical of CSDP operations. It is enough to remember the blocking of the anti-piracy operation at its beginnings (The maritime operation in Somalia blocked… by the United Kingdom) or their reluctance to engage in Somalia (The British unknown on the Eusec Somalia/Uganda operation), two operations which turned out to be a success - and even the success story of the CSDP in recent years - not forgetting their veto of an intervention project at the start of the war in former Yugoslavia (1990s: ex-Yugoslavia, Europe's ten missteps).
(*) In Paris, Minister Laurent Fabius met, on Tuesday, Hervé Ladsous, the head of UN peacekeeping missions. And in New York, the debate continues within the Security Council for a new resolution specified the spokesman for the Quai d'Orsay. " The Secretary General of the United Nations must specify the needs and prospects for stabilization in the Central African Republic”
