Beware of EU Defence "Smoke and Mirrors," says Geoffrey Van Orden

Brussels, 28th January 2010

Brussels, 28th January 2010 -- Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State, came to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday evening to set out details of her review of Nato's "Strategic Concept". She leads a group of 12 experts tasked to produce results by the summer. The Strategic Concept provides the basis for Nato's organisation and operational roles.

Conservative defence Spokesman Geoffrey Van Orden, a former senior military officer at Nato Headquarters, has been the most stalwart defender of the Nato alliance and warned Mrs Albright about EU defence policy.

He commented:

"I cautioned Mrs Albright to beware of those pushing EU defence policy. It is a purely political project. Conservatives won't support an EU policy that delivers no additional operational capability and undermines and duplicates Nato.

"There should be a clear division of labour. Nato should focus primarily on the military tasks. The EU should concentrate on complementing Nato with civilian resources, not least for humanitarian aid and post conflict and post disaster reconstruction. There will need to be close cooperation in these tasks and in dealing with threats such as terrorism and cyber attack.

"A new Strategic Concept that fails to recognise the need for such an approach will be flawed from the outset."

 

Geoffrey Van Orden MEP is contactable at:
geoffrey.vanorden@europarl.europa.eu
Tel: +32 (0)2284 5332

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