Overleggen en bezoek Hoge Vertegenwoordiger Ashton: bezoek Centraal Azië, overleg EDA en EU-missies (fr/en)
Catherine Ashton i en Géorgie et en Asie centrale
La visite récente de Catherine Ashton en Géorgie (26 Novembre) et en Asie centrale (27-30 novembre) a notamment mis en évidence les défis de sécurité auxquels les pays des deux régions et l'Union européenne font conjointement face
En Géorgie, la Haute-Représentante / Vice-Présidente (HRVP) a salué Ie röle du pays pour la sécurité internationale. Elle a également invité la Géorgie a entamer des négociations avec l'UE sur un accord-cadre pour la participation de la Géorgie dans les opérations de gestion de crise de l'Union européenne. Cette visite lui a permis de rappeler l'engagement de l'UE en faveur de l'intégrité territoriale de la Géorgie: "Nous allons continuer a Ie démontrer de manière concrète a travers notre röle en tant que co-présidents des discussions internationales de Genève et dans Ie travail de notre mission d'observation, EUMM Géorgie", a déclaré Catherine Ashton
Après la Géorgie, la HRVP s'est rendue au Kirghizistan, en Ouzbékistan, au Tadjikistan et au Kazakhstan pour rencontrer les dirigeants et des représentants de la société civile. Au Kirghizistan, elle a présidé la réunion ministérielle UE-Asie centrale, attirant particulièrement l'attention sur les questions liées a la sécurité régionale, et notamment sur l'Afghanistan: "Nous partageons un objectif commun: promouvoir un Afghanistan sür et une région prospère dans son ensemble". Les ministres ont convenu que ces défis devaient être abordés via unecoopération plusétroite, a travers un "Dialogue de haut niveau sur la sécurité"
FAC Defence and EDA Steering Board meeting
On 19 November EU High Representative Catherine Ashton (HRVP) chaired the Foreign Affairs Council, which started with the meeting of the Ministers of Defence
She also chaired the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency (EDA) which praised progress achieved on several pooling&sharing projects
including in the framework of the Helicopter Training Programme, but also on Maritime Surveillance, Medical Field Hospitals, or Air to Air Refuelling, among others
The ministers agreed that further development of military capabilities is crucial to enhance Common Security and Defence Policy. They adopted a Code of Conduct for Pooling and Sharing proposed by the EDA. This code will be implemented on a national and voluntary basis and aims to support cooperative efforts of EU Member States by helping them to mainstream Pooling and Sharing into their national planning.The ministers also approved the 2013 budget for the EDA which will amount to €30.5 million
They also discussed the EU defence industry following a briefing by the European Commissioner for internal market and services, Michel Barnier, who presented the work of the European Commission's Task Force on Defence. "We agree that a strong industrial base is vital for our capabilities and there was unanimous support for the Commission's work in close cooperation with the EEAS and the EDA", underlined the HRVP
Finally, Foreign and Defence Ministers together addressed the deteriorating situation in Mali.The Council called on all parties to agree on a road map for a rapid political transition which would allow the EU to resume development cooperation. "We believe there is a need to respond quickly to security and terrorist threats within a framework to be defined by the UN Security Council. In the meantime, we will continue to plan for a possible CSDP mission to train and restructure the Malian security forces", declared Catherine Ashton
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•Full Council Conclusions
Joint exercise by EUFOR Althea and the Bosnian Armed Forces
EUFOR Althéa's Multi-National Battalion working alongside a company of Slovenian troops from EUFOR's new Intermediate Reserve and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AF BiH) platoon conducted a training exercise in Glamoc from 12 to 16 November
In addition to integrating the Slovenian Intermediate Reserve
Company into EUFOR's Multi-National Battalion, the exercise provided an ideal opportunity for the AF BiH to gain further experience in working within Multi-National forces. The exercise in Glamoc marks the first instance where a full platoon from the AF BiH has conducted a deployed field training exercise with EUFOR troops
EU Naval Force and Combined Task Force 151 capture suspected pirates in Indian Ocean
Successful cooperation between Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand under command of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) and Turkish warship TCG Gemlik of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) led to the capture of nine suspected pirates at sea off the coast of Somalia
The action started when Swedish EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft located the suspicious skiff at sea 420 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. TCG Gemlik and ROS Regele Ferdinand were the two closest warships in the area so they rushed to investigate the situation. Once at the scene, TCG Gemlik sent a boarding team to search the suspect vessel, which had tried to evade capture for over an hour. The suspected pirates were embarked on to the Romanian frigate for further questioning and evidence collection
Civilian Operations Commander visits EUPOL Afghanistan ahead of mission extension
The EU Civilian Operations Commander, Ambassador Hansjoerg Haber, visited in mid-November the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan, accompanied by a number of Brussels-based journalists (see online reports from Euronews, BBC from 18'to 27' minutes, Swedish radio and Tagesspiegel). Mr Haber examined the work of the mission in Kabul and Kunduz, paying particular attention to training and mentoring of Afghan police, emergency telephone hotline and the EU-supported TV series 'Kommissar Amanullah! He also met with Afghan officials from the Ministry of Interior and police authorities
On 30 October, EU Member States have unanimously agreed on the extension of the EU Police mission in Afghanistan until the end of 2014
The incident prevention hotline reduces tension following shootings in Georgia
On 2 December the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia received information about a shooting incident which took place near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) with South Ossetia near the village of Koda. The Mission promptly contacted all sides using the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism telephone hotline and gathered information from its patrols along the ABL. The hotline facilitated information sharing and response coordination, leading to a meeting between the South Ossetian and Georgian security actors who discussed the incident. Streamlined communication between all involved parties helped to calm the situation
Nominations
On 4 December Bernd Borchardt was appointed new Head of Mission for the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX Kosovo. Mr Borchardt, from Germany, will take up his duties on 1 February 2013. He will succeed Xavier Bout de Marnhac, who had been in the position since 15 October 2010
On 3 December, Major General Dieter Heidecker (Austria) took up the post of force commander for operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He replaced Major General Robert Brieger who had been in the position since December 2011
From 6 December, Rear Admiral Pedro Angel Garcia de Paredes Perez de Sevilla (Spain) will be the new force commander for operation Atalanta, which is currently led by Rear Admiral (LH) Enrico Credendino
Upcoming activities
6 December: Catherine Ashton participates in the OSCE ministerial meeting in Dublin
10 December: Catherine Ashton chairs the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels
10 December: Ceremony awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union in Oslo
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