EU Defence Ministers Discuss Joint Capability Development and EU’s Role in Africa
Szöveg: honvedelem.hu / MTI | 2013. április 27. 10:13The Defence Ministers of the European Union met on Tuesday, April 23 in Luxembourg to discuss the European Union’s role in Africa and the scope for developing joint capabilities. Minister of Defence Csaba Hende told Hungarian News Agency MTI that the participants of the meeting also explored the ways to increase efficiency in the deployment of rapid reaction EU Battlegroups.
European External Action Service (EEAS) told the press that the Defence Ministers of the
member states had addressed matters in preparation for the strategic European Council-level
discussion on defence issues due to take place this December, „the event of this year".
After the meeting, Minister of Defence Csaba Hende told MTI on the phone that “the
discussion focused on the need for European cooperation in the field of capability
development". The Ministers also exchanged opinions on the joint efforts to strengthen and
develop the European defence industry, and the more efficient deployment of rapid reaction
EU Battlegroups was also on the agenda of the talks.
The Minister of Defence told MTI that in this regard, the German Minister of Defence
circulated a document which, in Csaba Hende’s opinion, contains several “forward-
looking ideas" and a number of issues which can be supported or ate least should be given
consideration, according to Minister Hende. Without going into details, in answering a
question from MTI, the Minister of Defence said he believes the Union is starting to see this
issue from a different perspective, and the December meeting may reach a crucial decision
which “will be a milestone rather than the end of a process."
At the international press briefing following the conference, Maciej Popowski took a
stance on the issue saying that the related initiative has been on the agenda for years, and
the time has now come for making a decision about the future. French general Patrick de
Rousiers, Chairman, European Union Military Committee told the press that the Ministers
had addressed the role of the European Union in Somalia where the counter-piracy Operation
Atalanta is being conducted successfully, and in Mali where the advisory, support and training
mission is going on according to plans. Speaking about this, the general noted that several
member states have made further contributions.
Minister Hende told MTI that Hungary was not among these countries, as it did not made any
further contribution at the meeting and would not send more troops to the Western African
country than the 10 men currently deployed there. “By sending those ten men, Hungary
has already made the contribution to the extent that can be expected of it", the Minister of
Defence said.
