EU: Nato's secretary general has suggested that the European Union's new battlegroups could be used to go to war. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the Spanish newspaper El Pais he did not accept a claim by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana that the EU would never go to war.
"I don't believe that's true. Why is the EU creating battlegroups? It is not just to help rebuild a country. The battlegroups are not for building schools," he said.
Mr de Hoop Scheffer's comments did not find favour with Margot Walström, the EU's communications strategy commissioner and vice-president, during a visit to Dublin yesterday.
"Even the Nato secretary general can be wrong," she said.
"I think that there are many people who would want to contradict him or to debate that issue. Personally, I definitely don't think that this is the role for the European Union. I don't see us in mainly a military role.
"I see the role of the EU proving that it is by economic and social expression that you can be successful with peace and prevent conflict. That is what we have proven through 50 years of integration."
EU member-states agreed last year to set up 13 so-called battlegroups, military units up to 1,500 strong that could be deployed quickly to international trouble spots, by 2007.
EU officials say the units would be used to help stabilise conflict areas and to protect humanitarian missions.
Mr de Hoop Scheffer suggested that, once they are operational, the battlegroups could be given a more robust mandate.
"It may be that to keep the peace combat is necessary. If the EU creates battlegroups and Nato a rapid-reaction force, I would say we shouldn't think the EU is for soft power and Nato for tough power," he said.
Most EU member states have agreed to take part in the proposed battlegroups and the Government has promised to address legal impediments to Ireland's participation in the units.
Nato, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, has long been suspicious of the EU's military ambitions, fearing they could undermine Nato's role as Europe's pre-eminent military alliance.
Mr De Hoop Scheffer reacted sharply last month when Germany's chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, said Nato was no longer the primary forum for transatlantic dialogue.
In a separate interview with Reuters yesterday, Mr de Hoop Scheffer insisted there was no rivalry between the EU and Nato in the struggle against terrorism.
"There should never be competition between Nato and the European Union. That would be wrong. The fight against terrorism needs a combination of hard power and soft power," he said.
The EU's military capability can only be used for "humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and the tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking".
If the EU's new constitution is adopted, such forces could be used for "joint disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue tasks, military advice and assistance tasks, conflict prevention and peacekeeping tasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking and post-conflict stabilisation".
The constitution adds that "all these tasks may contribute to the fight against terrorism, including by supporting third countries in combating terrorism in their territories".
All EU military missions require the unanimous approval of all 25 member states.