France lifts veto threat

[Sayhey]

In a BBC article, Chirac is quoted as saying about the US sponsored UN Security Council resolution:

"I have no intention of opposing the resolution... I am not in that mind-set at all,"

Obviously some understanding was reached at the summit of British, French, and German leaders. It will be interesting to see what concessions, if any, the French and Germans won.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3127798.stm

[Ugg]

That is very interesting. Der Spiegel had an article the other day stating that Blair agreed to a European army outside of NATO. Blair wasn't too keen on the idea awhile back and now Chirac is backing down from his veto. I wonder what Schroeder got from the deal?

[Sayhey]

Originally posted by Ugg
That is very interesting. Der Spiegel had an article the other day stating that Blair agreed to a European army outside of NATO. Blair wasn't too keen on the idea awhile back and now Chirac is backing down from his veto. I wonder what Schroeder got from the deal?

I had not heard that about Blair backing down on a EU defense force. It had been one of the areas the British had "red lined" in the new EU constitution. That concession would explain a lot. Is there an English translation of the Der Spiegel article? I'm afraid my German is lost in the fog of my high school education.

[Ugg]

Link (http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,266571,00.html)

Berlin - "Wir sind gemeinsam überzeugt, dass die EU über eine gemeinsame Fähigkeit zur Planung und Führung von Operationen ohne Rückgriff auf Nato-Mittel und Fähigkeiten verfügen muss", heißt es in einem Papier, das Blair, Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder und Frankreichs Staatspräsident Jacques Chirac am Samstag in Berlin vereinbarten. Die Gemeinschaftsstruktur solle wenn möglich im Konsens der künftig 25 EU-Mitgliedstaaten errichtet werden.

Die Europäische Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik (ESVP) sei ein "Schlüsselprojekt für die Stärkung der EU-Handlungsfähigkeit und für die Partnerschaftsfähigkeit mit Amerika", heißt es in der Erklärung weiter. "Wenn Europa seine militärischen Fähigkeiten verbessert, stärkt das auch die Nato, die für unsere gemeinsame Sicherheit unerlässlich bleibt."

We are overjoyed at a common capacity for planning and leading operations without depending upon NATO. As per a paper released in Berlin by Chirac, Schroeder and Blair. The general structure should be agreed upon by the 25 EU members (current and future).

The European Security and Defense Politik is a "Key project for the strengthening of EU ability to act and for the partnership with America. It was stated in a further declaration. By Europe's improved military ability, NATO will also be strengthened."

This is a pretty rough translation but I think the gist of it comes across. The article goes on to speculate that Blair will pay a price for his support. No details are given, just that it is agreed upon in principle. It will be very interesting to see how this plays in Vilnius, Stockholm, Lisbon and the other EU capitals.

[Sayhey]

Originally posted by Ugg
Link (http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,266571,00.html)



We are overjoyed at a common capacity for planning and leading operations without depending upon NATO. As per a paper released in Berlin by Chirac, Schroeder and Blair. The general structure should be agreed upon by the 25 EU members (current and future).

The European Security and Defense Politik is a "Key project for the strengthening of EU ability to act and for the partnership with America. It was stated in a further declaration. By Europe's improved military ability, NATO will also be strengthened."

This is a pretty rough translation but I think the gist of it comes across. The article goes on to speculate that Blair will pay a price for his support. No details are given, just that it is agreed upon in principle. It will be very interesting to see how this plays in Vilnius, Stockholm, Lisbon and the other EU capitals.

Ugg, thanks for the translation and the link. I saw Blair went to Spain to have a little discussion with the Spanish PM. Now who gets the task of explaining it all to Berlusconi?

[shadowfax]

why, oh why, can't we have a statesman for a president? "I do think it would be helpful to get the United Nations in to help write a constitution. I mean, they're good at that." It's like something a kindergartener. seriously. and as far as his take on UN inclusion in this, he's being very manipulative in a bullying way. they're coming around, though, i guess.

what a crappy state of affairs.

[Ugg]

Originally posted by Sayhey
Ugg, thanks for the translation and the link. I saw Blair went to Spain to have a little discussion with the Spanish PM. Now who gets the task of explaining it all to Berlusconi?

Well, Blair is now backpedaling and saying that it can only be accomplished if it is complementary to NATO.

Ah, Berlusconi is in his own little world and will manage to insult all three of them for not including him and denying his glorious new state from participating. The sooner he is locked up in a mental institution, the better. gw is bad but Berlusconi is absolutely unbelievable!