EU ministers are close to deal on defence

THE EU: European Union foreign ministers meeting in Naples have come close to agreement on the future of EU defence, but remain…

THE EU: European Union foreign ministers meeting in Naples have come close to agreement on the future of EU defence, but remain deeply divided over how to reform the European institutions.

With EU leaders due to sign off on a new constitutional treaty next week, there is little sign of compromise on the most important issues.

The foreign ministers agreed that a group of EU member-states should be allowed to co-operate more closely on defence, a process known as "structured co-operation".

The group would be open to any member-state that reached a required level of military capability, and would be controlled from within the EU's military headquarters in Brussels.

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Saturday's agreement was reached following a deal struck last week between France, Germany and Britain which makes clear that NATO would remain the foundation of European defence. A number of questions remain to be resolved, including that of who would authorise military operations launched in the EU's name under structured co-operation.

According to a paper released by the Italian presidency on Saturday, the right to approve operations would be confined to those participating in structured co-operation. However, Britain's Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, insisted that all 25 EU member-states would have to approve any mission in the EU's name.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said the Government would respect the wishes of other countries that wanted to co-operate more closely on defence, but that Ireland's determination not to take part should also be respected.

"We won't be involved in structured co-operation because we don't have that capability, and I don't envisage, based on what I'm hearing thus far, reasons why it is in our interest to be involved or what benefit there is for us."

Mr Cowen said he would oppose a proposal to require all EU member-states to promise to come to one another's aid in the event of a military attack.

"I don't believe that Ireland's participation in a mutual defence arrangement would be consistent with the constitutional prohibition on membership of a common European defence for which the Government obtained the approval of the people last year."

Italy's Foreign Minister, Mr Franco Frattini, said most ministers wanted to retain the right of every member-state to nominate a member of the Commission. He suggested that, if there was not enough support for changing the voting system in the Council of Ministers, the Nice Treaty arrangements could be left in place and reviewed in five years.

Germany's Foreign Minister, Mr Joschka Fischer, said that postponing core questions would be an admission of failure, and that a large Commission would lead to a presidential system in Brussels.

"Let me openly say that I am leaving Naples more concerned than I was when I arrived."