Eerste veiligheidsdoctrine EU is een feit (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - European Union leaders today formally adopted the Union's first ever joint Security Strategy, a document which will form the framework for the Union's foreign and security policy.

Welcoming the occasion, the strategy's author, Javier Solana - the EU's foreign policy chief - said that the document would provide a "road map" for the EU to play a role of "a strategic partner in the world".

Heavily influenced by US security doctrine following 11 September 2001, the document sets out massive terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, failed states and organised crime as the major threats to European security.

"Our traditional concept of self defence - up to and including he Cold War - was based on the threat of invasion. With the new threats, the first line of defence will often be abroad", reads the document.

The strategy, however, heavily emphasises the origins of such problems and the need to deal with them holistically.

"Proliferation may be contained through export controls and attacked through political, economic and other pressures while the underlying political causes are also tackled. Dealing with terrorism may require a mixture of intelligence, police, judicial, military and other means".

Spheres of influence

Despite these new threats, some of the document harks back to traditional security policies.

"It is in Europe's interest that countries on our borders are well-governed. Neighbours who are engaged in violent conflict, weak states where organised crime flourishes, dysfunctional societies or exploding population growth on its borders al pose problems for Europe ".

The document envisages deeper engagement and ties with the Caucasus, the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, Russia and the US.

Another more traditional aspect of security is also on the agenda, enhancing military capabilities.

"As a Union of 25 members, spending more than 160 billion Euros on defence, we should be able to sustain several operations simultaneously".

"We need to develop a strategic culture that fosters early, rapid and when necessary, robust intervention".

The Union is also backing other regional blocks and multilateral forums such as the WTO and the UN as a means of promoting global governance and the multilateral system.

The document will be reviewed according to events, said a spokesperson for Javier Solana.