At last weekend's European Union summit in Naples, the continent's leaders pledged to boost defence spending and fight terrorism more effectively, reports Samia Nkrumah from Rome Perhaps the only issue that the European Union foreign ministers agreed upon in Naples last weekend is that Europe needs to develop its defence capability. To do so, the EU ministers decided to forge ahead with plans to develop a military planning facility independent of NATO. The idea of a European centre for military planning has been steadily gaining ground for the last five years. Since the Kosovo War, that demonstrated Europe's weak military capability in contrast to that of the US, the rhetoric is shifting to practical steps. The proposed military centre gained approval before European leaders meet for the next EU summit in Brussels on 12 to 13 December. Shortly after the conclusion of the Naples summit, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld held a NATO meeting in Brussels with other European defence ministers. "We support a European military planning unit that is NATO-friendly," Rumsfeld commented in Brussels. He was also quoted in the Italian media as having described it as "a serious threat to the Atlantic alliance". Despite EU assurances to the contrary, Washington remains concerned that a separate EU military unit will either compete with the 19-member alliance or duplicate its capability. European leaders were quick to assuage Washington's doubts and insisted that the pan-European defence initiative is not intended to undermine NATO which remains the driving force of Western defence. France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg first conceived the project, before Britain came on board too. There is hope that British collaboration with France and Germany to promote the project would go a long way to reassure Washington. Only Britain, analysts here believe, can convince the US of the non-aggressive intent of the project. Given the special London-Washington relationship, Britain's involvement will ensure that NATO will not be bypassed. Italian Defence Minister Antonio Martino in Brussels said that Italy could join but cautioned that it would cost Italy alone 250 million euro for five years. The main document released on the EU defence plans in Naples indicates that the expected military centre will be compatible with and complementary to NATO. First, it makes clear that any action must conform to NATO obligations. The idea is that Europe will take up military operations that Washington does not want to get involved in, as is the case with the current European force under French command in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or the peacekeeping force in Bosnia which will soon be a purely European one. Similarly, in reference to the mutual defence measure, whereby EU members will be called upon to defend a fellow member if it comes under attack, prior consultations with NATO are required. Moreover, obstacles could arise from a lack of unanimity. According to analysts, given the difficulty foreseen in achieving a unanimous position, it will not easily be put into practice. And even if unanimity is not necessary, as with the Euro and the Schengen Agreement, select countries can participate, but it is not obligatory for all EU members. The document also indicates that Europe's military planning structure will begin, but modestly, from next year. The proposed EU defence centre, analysts believe, will be more like a planning body within NATO. It will include a command cell, most likely within NATO headquarters near Brussels, and will be manned by a military committee of not more than 150 military officers from different EU states. Some analysts are of the opinion that duplication has its benefits. It might address the position of some countries, which belong to NATO but not the EU and vice versa. Today, there are some countries like Norway, Iceland and Turkey who are members of NATO, but not EU members. Another aim of the continental defence initiative is to develop arms research and procurement. France and Germany formed OCCAR (Organisme Conjoint de Coopération en Matière d'Armement) in 1993 and three years later Italy and Britain joined it, with a view to improving the production and supply of arms in Europe. It is widely believed that OCCAR will be involved, albeit in a limited way, in coordinating some military purchases and research projects in the continent. Europe's increasing involvement in the war on terrorism has played a role in achieving consensus for more efficient military capability in the continent. In Italy, according to the Interior Ministry, intelligence sharing among other European countries and the US has resulted in 71 arrests of suspected terrorists. This number is in contrast with 16 and 33 in 2001 and 2002 respectively. Only last week the Italian authorities announced that five suspects described as part of an extremist cell were arrested in the north of the country.
