FINLAND: HELSINKI SUMMIT: ARRIVAL OF EU LEADERS

Описание: (10 Dec 1999) Natural Sound

European Union leaders have arrived in Finland for the start of a two day summit.

Friday's talks got off to a shaky start amid spats over the safety of British beef, the treatment of Turkey as a future EU member and the lack of clear vision on how to get Russia to stop its war in Chechnya.

The talks are aimed at laying the groundwork for a military arm separate from NATO, and widening enlargement negotiations from six to twelve countries.

The E-U's new defence role will come with a pledge to Washington that its allies are not out to erode the NATO alliance.

The aim is to prevent crises and conflicts on the E-U's doorstep without having to rely on American political and military clout, as happened in recent Balkan wars.

The E-U wants to develop a 50,000 to 60,000-man corps, backed up by 300-500 combat aircraft and a dozen or more naval vessels, deployable within 60 days and able to sustain itself for up to a year.

At present they are clearly unable to field such a force.

The air campaign against Yugoslavia, where the United States was obliged to provide 85 percent of the punch, showed how far behind the Europeans are technologically.

The ground force for Kosovo required virtually every rapidly deployable soldier available.

Washington cautiously supports what is called the European Security and Defense Identity, saying anything that improves their military capabilities is good for the alliance.
But the Americans are concerned that NATO be consulted first before any European military action.

But the issue of European Security and Defence identity seems likely be overshadowed by rows over the continuing French ban on British beef and the U-K's opposition to proposed E-U-wide tax changes.

The summit will also provide an opportunity for the E-U to formulate a common policy on responding to Russia's military campaign in Chechnya.

The leaders are poised to condemn Russia for its bloody crackdown and, once again, urge it to seek a political settlement with Chechen rebels.

It is unlikely that they will endorse sanctions for fear these would harm the economic and political reforms they so badly seek in a country with which they have a tenuous relationship, at best.

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