BELGIUM: EU DEFENCE ALLIANCE AT CRUCIAL POINT

Описание: (25 Nov 1999) English/Nat
Former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana says the European Union's (EU) defence alliance - whose foreign and security policy he is now running - is in a crucial phase of its history.
Speaking in Brussels, Solana's comments followed his acceptance of the role as secretary-general of the Western European Union which will soon be incorporated into the E-U.
The Western European Union (WEU) headquarters in Brussels is now run by former NATO Secretary General, Javier Solana.
The W-E-U is also known as the European Union's defence alliance.
The organisation's Permanent Council met on Thursday to formally accept Solana as the organisation's head.
Solana starts this new position at a time when the E-U has decided to move forward in strengthening its armed forces' capabilities and take a leading role in missions in Europe without involvement of the U-S.
The Spaniard served as NATO's secretary-general for the past four years before being appointed E-U foreign and security czar in October. He'll now combine that position with the W-E-U post.
Solana said the time was right for the defence alliance, known as the Western European Union (W-E-U), to best serve Europe.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The W-E-U has entered to a crucial phase of its history. The European Union has decided to strengthen its capabilities for military and non-military crisis management and this process will be done and built on its foundations and important experience that the W-E-U has assembled over years. That is one of the reasons why if there was ever time in history when W-E-U could best serve Europe this time is probably now."
SUPER CAPTION: Javier Solana, European Union's chief of foreign and security policy
And the former head of NATO said important decisions have to be taken imminently by the E-U.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The moment when the European Union has to take important decisions in the field of security and defence is approaching very fast. We have to move from declarations of intent to real action. I would like to say that our credibility is at stake."
SUPER CAPTION: Javier Solana, European Union's chief of foreign and security policy
The E-U wants to develop a security dimension commensurate with its economic clout.
The plan is to build a capability for launching European-only military operations of a humanitarian or peacekeeping nature using NATO assets, but without having to rely on the United States.

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