

EUROCORPS Press Chief Booghs to EuroFora: Flexibility+PluriModality to boost EuroArmy embryo's role?
*Strasbourg/Alsace Region-Strasbourg's Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- Even if the latest EU Brussels' Summit's official conclusions, in principle focused on EU's Security/Defence Policy, nevertheless, didn't specifically mention the notorious Strasbourg-based embryo of a European Army Headquarters' joint staff (Etat Major), known as EUROCORPS, nevertheless, its "Flexibility", "Inter-Modality" and rare Experience, (added also to a traditionally Strong Support by EU Parliament), normally should guarantee that it remains a potentially important tool, ready to be efficiently used at a variety of challenging Missions, at the disposal of European Poilitical Leadership, said in substance EUROCORPS' New Director of its Press Service, Colonel Eddy Booghs, from Belgium (the Member Country which currently holds the rotating Commandment of EUROCORPS), told "EuroFora".
He was speaking at Strasbourg's Press Club's Annual Reception, in Strasbourg Region Alsace's Headquarters, facing EU Parliament's buildings, where we were invited and welcomed by the President of the Region, former Minister Philippe Richert, by a timely outlook on the New Year's main Perspectives.
- At first, EUROCORPS, which is normally able to command up to 65000 Soldiers, has already received an exceptionaly important Experience, without any comparison to the way that any other Mutltilateral Grouping of various Military Forces in Europe has been used, or not, sinc it was sent for Missions of Crucial Importance, both to Kosovo (Twice) and to Afghanistan (also Twice, during the latest one, having even assumed the role of Head of the International Forces' Joint Staff, via its formet Commander the French General Bavinchove (Comp. General Bavinchove's statements to "EuroFora", about Topical Questions in the Past).
But it's true that EUROCORPS' new Commander, the Belgian General Guy Buchsenschmidt, speaking earlier to Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", (Comp. f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eurocorpscommandersoneuautonomytools.html ) had already warned against an eventual attempt to, at least for the Time being, underestimate and/or not make a normal and full use of its capabilities, to the obvious detriment of EU Defence's Strategic Autonomy, (strongly supported by all recent EU Parliament's Resolutions, and formally even by the latest EU Brussels' Summit, where it was briefly mentioned), and Buchsenschmidt's concern, initially expressed last June, apparently proved rather premonitory, given the December 2013 EU Brussels' Summit Conclusions strange silence as far as any EU-related Military Force is concerned, (notoriously because of a systematic and explicit opposal mainly by Brittish Prime Miniser Cameron, who pursued further UK's traditional policies in this regard), so that, in fact, there was nothing really new, there...
- Moreover, EUROCORPS' "Flexibility" allows for it to be able to become a Tool either of NATO, or of the EU, eventualy even of its 5 (soon 6, after the forthcoming Entry of Poland, scheduled for 2016) Member Countries, (France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg), for any purpose or Mission that they might deem necessary. Therefore, if it's not used by one among those 3 main Actors, for a given period of Time, nevertheless, it can be used by the other Actors, the Press Director of the European Corps stressed to "EuroFora" Today. Politically, at any case, it all depends mainly from the Foreign Policy's strategy and/or tactics, since, in fact, the Military's basic role is to succeed to realize and reach the Targets chosen by those Responsible to determine a given entity's (EU, NATO, Member States, etc) Foreign Policy, he added.

- "EuroFora" reacted by observing the fact that this Fits well also with the recent adoption of €uro-Area's Treaty, (prepared betweenAugust and December 2011, but Signed at the Beginning of 2012 and Ratified later that same Year : Comp. relevant "EuroFora"'s NewsReports, at those times, from Brussels, Paris, etc), which introduced, for the 1st Time in History, also an Article allowing for €uroArea's 18 Heads of State/Government to practically Discuss and/or Decide on any Issue of Interest for their Countries, and Not Only on exclusively Economic, Financial or Monetary issues, but also on anything else they might believe necessary, f.ex. also Security/Defence matters, right at EU's Franco-German core, (progressively enlarged to willing Allies among EU's various Member Countries : F.ex. already : Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, soon also Poland, while Greece and Italy, for the moment they are just "Associated" EUROCORPS' Countries, having already sent 2 or more "Liaison Officers" at its Strasbourg HearQuarters). This already includes the 7 more relevant among €uroArea's 18 Membe States, to which would soon be added also an important 8th one : Poland (from 2016), taken among the remaning EU Countries.
+ By the way, at least as far as EU's Common Security and Defence Policy's developments are concerned, Colonel Booghs also observed that the EU had just decided, only a few Days ago in Brussels, to officialy adopt an "EU Mission" status for the Peace-Keeping Operation in Central Africa, (i.e. as the French President Hollande and the German Chancellor Merkel had both stressed to Journalists in Brusselss, during the latest EU Summit of December 2013 : Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), while also attributing its responsibility to the Larissa-based HQ, in Greece, the Country which has started to Chair EU Council for the period of January - June 2014.
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++ But, even more important could prove to be Today, EUROCORPS' reported Multi-Modal Capacity to associate, combine and use, at the same Time, in a well coordinated way, many and Various Categories of Military Forces, going from Land to Air and/or even Sea/Maritime Forces, taken all Together :
- Indeed, this seems o be, by a positive coincidence, perfectly in tune with the incoming Greek 2014 EU Presidency's declared Priority to boost the Maritime Security and Defence Policy of the EU, (particularly as far as Protection of EU's Oil/Gas Offshore Natural Resources in Energy are concerned, f.ex. in Cyprus, Greece, or even France's DOP TOM Sea Areas, Spain's, UK's, etc) : As it is well known, the latest, December 2013 EU Brussels' Summit, explicitly decided to develop such EU Capabilities, ordering to prepare Final Conclusions for EU's Maritime Security/Defence Policy, at the forthcoming June 2014 EU Brussels' Summit.

=> This move Timely Fits with EUROCORPS' already declared Intention to Boost its capacities to serve also as a Multi-Modal Force's HeadQuarters in the foreseable Future, able to Combine the Direction of Land, Air and Sea Military Forces, taken all Together at the Same Time : Already, at least 2 New, real nature Exercices are currently prepared for EUROCORPS in the for, one near Strasbourg, and another one, a bit further away, at France's Marmelon area, around October 2014, where the 5 EU Nations' Military Body will have to definitively Test and prove its recently acquired Capacities to work also as a kind of "Joint Task Force" (JTF), its Spokesman, Colonel Booghs told "EuroFora".
Obviously, such a positive "Coincidence" between the forthcoming June 2014 EU Summit's already declared official Aims, in terms of Security/Defence policy Development towards Maritime SDP, (Comp. Supra), and EUROCORPS' crucial Breakthrough as a Multi-Modal, Land, Air and*Sea "Joint Task Force" capability's Test, scheduled for October 2014, cannot but even Better reveal its Important Potential as EU's CSDP's main tool in the foreseable Future, "EuroFora" suggested, and EUROCORPS' Press Director clearly acknowledged, therefore, giving Rendez-Vous for an assessment of relevant developments, and their practical consequences, in just a few Months' time...
(../..)
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The official presentation of a "Program" respecting People's choices voted in the June 7, 2009 EU Elections, to be debated in EU Council and EU Parliament during its 1st Session on July in Strasbourg, is the No 1 Priority, according to Democratic principles, for the Franco-German axis, said the main winners at the ballot box, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angie Merkel.
They stressed that the New EU Commission's President must have a "Program" in favor of an EU which "protects" its Citizens, regulates financial markets and aims at a "Political" Europe" : a wording they have used as incompatible with Turkey's controversial EU bid.
They also declared ready for a "political" endorsment of "Mr. Barroso's candidacy" in June's EU Council, considering that an official decision would have to be made after EU Parliament's debates and votes, possibly from next month (July), with the legally necessary final acceptance shortly after Lisbon Treaty's entry into force, hoped for September or October.
- "A Program, and Mr. Barroso" : This resumes, in substance, the anouncements made by Sarkozy and Merkel, on the question of current EU Commission's President, Barroso's declared wish to succeed to himself for a second mandate, to be extended during the following 5 years.
In their 1st meeting after EU Elections, they observed that "the Franco-German axis counted in European Elections' campaign... But, we both keep a realistic view : We saw the number of those who abstained, and we must absolutely give them an answer. We also see the disilusionment of an important number of Europeans vis a vis Europe, and we are aware of the responsibilities we have".

- The "Duty" of the new EU Commission's President, after June 7, 2009 EU Elections' result, "is to act for a Europe which protects the Europeans, to commit himself into working for a better Regulation of Financial transactions, ... and to have a Political will for Europe", underlined Sarkozy.
Therefore, "we have asked M. Barroso... to clarify, to officialy present the intentions he has", he anounced.
- "We want to speak also about the Programme", explained Merkel.
- "It's important that for the next EU Parliament's mandate (2009-2014) we take the right Decisions for Europe. Obviously on Persons, but mainly Decisions on Issues", she stressed.
- "It's not simply a question of a Person, it's also a question of a Programme". We are "really asking Mr. Barroso to commit himself on a Program, and on Principles, on Values", Sarkozy added.
EU President-in-office, Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, accepted the Franco-German stance :
- "Barroso must present his Programme. The Czech Presidency agrees with that", Fischer reportedly said later, after meeting Sarkozy.
But Press reports from Brussels claimed that Barroso had preferred to be officially appointed by EU Council since June, (i.e. next week), "because this was implied by the current Treaty of Nice, according to him", and considered any delay until the possible ratification of the new, Lisbon Treaty on September/October, as "undemocratic".
- "At any case, independently of what Germany and France ask, it's also EU Parliament's wish". "We shall propose Mr Barroso's candidacy... But even in the framework of Nice Treaty, EU Parliament has to be associated in this Decision", the French President observed.
If this is correctly done, then "we support Mr. Barroso's candidature", and "if the (EU) Parliament agrees, we might ratify this decision since July", (i.e. next month), they both said.

- "France and Germany support Baroso's candidacy, But we want to speak also on the Program. We believe that this Program should be established in close cooperation with EU Parliament, and that's why we have followed an appropriate way", said Merkel. - If EU Parliament wants, this election can take place on July, but this must be done in full agreement.
- "We shall support Mr. Barroso's candidacy, without doubt", said Sarkozy. "But we have asked from Mr. Barroso, as I told him yesterday, to put into detail.. his intentions, at the eve of his 2nd mandate, if the situation avails itself.
France and Germany "don't want to take an Official Legal Decision by writting" during "the next (EU) Council" (on June 18-19), declared Sarkozy. Because they prefer, at this stage, only "a Political decision" on June, "so that we (EU Council) can work together with EU Parliament", which starts to meet only Next Month, since July in Srasbourg, "leaving a Legal decision by writting for later".
- "If the Conditions are fuillfiled in EU Parliament, we (EU Council) are ready to give the agreement and make it offficial", said Merkel
- "But, now we are working in the base of Nice Treaty. If tommorow we want to work in the spirit of Lisbon Treaty, we have to find a proper way", she added.
- "Of course it's Legally complicated, because we are going to make a Political proposal to the forthcoming Council, for an EU Commission's President, on the basis of Nice Treaty : So, we (EU Council) will not appoint the Commissioners. Only the President. If EU Parliament agrees, it could endorse this position on July", explained Sarkozy.
But, on Autumn, "if Ireland ratifies Lisbon Treaty, there will be, at any case, a 2nd Decision, to appoint the Commission's President, this time on the basis of Lisbon treaty, and then, we, the EU Member States, would have to appoint (also) the EU Commissioners", he added.
As for the precise Timing : - "Everything is suspended until the Irish vote... Now, we must all make everything possible to help Ireland to say "Yes"" to Lisbon Treaty... The Irish Referendum, ..will take place either on September or on October. It's a Question which depends on the Irish. And, then, we shall have the Choice of the Candidates for the permanent Institutions of Europe".
However, "if Ireland says No, we, French and Germans, have to assume our responsibilities, and we'll do so", he concluded.
But British and Swedish governments were reportedly eager to have a final EU Council decision on Barroso since this month, on June's European Council. While the other EU Member Countries are divided, several of them preferring to wait until EU Parliament pronounces itself, on July, and/or until Lisbon Treaty might be ratified by Ireland at the beginning of the Autumn. Barroso's current mandate ends on November.
There are also various, contradictory and/or unpredictable reactions inside EU Parliament vis a vis Barroso's wish to continue a 2nd mandate, because many MEPs are openly or secretly opposed, reluctant, or hesitating.
In the biggest EU Countries, as France and Germany, EU Citizens voted on June 2009 EU Elections for a renovated, non-technocratic but Political Europe which cares for its Citizens, with an Identity, Values and Borders, declared incompatible with Turkey's controversial EU bid, by mainstream, pro-European Governing Parties. Similar choices were also supported in several other small or medium EU Countries.
On the contrary, whenever, in other Countries, Governing and other mainstream Parties didn't make these choices or eluded them, EU Citizens massively voted for euro-Sceptics whenever they were the only ones to to promise anti-bureacratic change and oppose Turkey's demand to enter into the EU, (f.ex. in the UK, Netherlands, etc).
It's seems to be an Open Question whether Sarkozy and Merkel's conditions will be really accepted by Barroso, who was appointed on 2004 in a different political context, (with Socialist Prime Ministers in Germany, France, etc), had rejected in the Past the idea of EU becoming "equal to the USA" as "ridiculous", and pushed for Turkey's contoversial EU bid, trying to "soften" or contain the changes desired by the People who voted for Merkel and Sarkozy with another policy vis a vis Turkey on 2005 in Germany and on 2007 in France, as they did all over Europe on 2009.
In addition to many EPP Governments, it's 3 remaining Socialist Prime Ministers : Gordon Brown in the UK, Zapatero in Spain, and Socrates in Prortugal, who support Barroso, as well as Liberal Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeldt. But their Parties lost the June 2009 EU Elections.
Questioned whether there was still "Time" for "other" possible "Candidates", Sarkozy and Merkel did not deny, nor made any comment on that, but simply said that "it's not for us to make publicity for any candidates. We anounced our choice ("A Program, and Mr. Barroso"). But we respect any other candidate".
Among various other names cited are former Belgian Prime Minister Verhofstadt, former UNO's Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson of Ireland, Italian former EU Commission's vice-President Monti, etc. Meanwhile, Luxembourg's PM Juncker, (who had been unanimously accepted by EU Council for EU Commission's Presidency on 2004, but refused), announced his intention to resign from "EuroGroup"'s Chair. Thus, he might be available for another Top EU job.
As "EuroFora"'s "opinion" said (See publication dated 9/6/09) : - "If the current candidates (i.e. Barroso, etc) to the Top EU jobs promise and guarantee to respect People's democratic choices, then, it's OK".
"Otherwise, Europe must find new candidates, really motivated and able to implement these democratic choices of the People."
Because, "in Democracy, the forthcoming choices for EU's Top Jobs,...should be made according to EU Citizens' Votes in June 7, 2009 European Elections, and main EU Governments' strategic policies".