EUParliament NATO +CSDP Top French MEP Danjean Reply to Eurofora Question on BREXIT+Security/Defense

*Strasbourg/Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- Vice-President of EU Parliament's Committee for NATO, and Rapporteur on Common Foreign/Security Policy, as well as "Dual Use" assets, Experienced former Chairman of EU Parliament's Security/Defense Committee, Arnaud Danjean, a Top MEP of French Main Opposition "Republican" Party (ChristianDemocrats/EPP), Replying to an "Eurofora" Question on the Recent Developments about BREXIT and the Need for Europe to develop an Efficient Security/Defense policy asap, appeared well Aware , but quite Optimist, about both Timing and Strategic issues :  

 - "Eurofora", particularly, pointed at the Latest Events which have apparently extended some Uncertainties, at least about the Precise Timing of the forthcoming Next Moves for the relevant EU - UK Negotiations. (Evoking mainly the Unexpected Outcome of June 8 UK Elections, the Manchester and twice London Islamist Terrorist Attacks, cowardly Targetting and Killing Civilians, followed by the Grenfell Tower's tragedy of more than 50 People killed in a huge Fire allegedly provoked by Electricity Incidents during Overload at a Key Moment of Muslim Ramadan, whose rituals recently spread in London City). I.e. just Before Next Monday's, 19 June initialy Scheduled, Official Opening of EU - UK BREXIT Talks in Brussels, (etc).

    In this Context, we Asked Danjean if he Believed that the EU would, despite all that, Succeed to Foster asap a Strong enough European Security/Defense Policy withOut more Undue Delays,  eventualy using also Alternative ways for EU-27 format Heads of State/Government a.o. Meetings, (f.ex. as Recently at Bratislava and Rome and Brussels 9/2016, 3/2017 + 4/2017 Summits : Comp. "Eurofora"'s NewsReports from the spots, etc), and any other adequate mechanism for that purpose. BREXIT, by theoreticaly giving some More Play, particularly, to the Franco-German couple and other Wiiling to move EU Stats (f.ex, Spain, Italy, Poland, etc), wouldn't be both a Callenge and an Opportunity, particularly on ESDP issues ?", "Eurofora pointed out in this regard.

    The event took place during a Press Conference organized at Strasbourg's Press Club, and with the Active Participation of Many Journalists, particularly those usualy Covering EU Parliament's related activities.

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    - "On BREXIT, I know that there has been a Kind of Enthousiasm, in some European circles, saying f.ex. that, once the British would have gone, we'll Advance much Faster, as far as Defense is concerned", he reminded from the outset.

      - But, that "Partly True, Partly False !", Danjean Warned.

    - "It's true, that, Cosmeticaly, a certain Number of (EU) Decisions, are Easier to be Taken withOut the Brittish :"

     - "We shaw it, f.ex., in the Creation of that small European Structure for the Planification and the Conduct of Operations, a kind of European HQ (Etat Major) : It's True that, there, it was the UK which was Blocking", he reminded. "Very well : That,  is a UnQuestionable Success, and it was, indeed, Facilitated by the BREXIT", he acknowledged".

     - "However, in the Long Run, I'm much Less affirmative", inter alia, also "Because the British were Not the only ones who Blocked and Hesitated : Once they will be Gone, we (EU) are going to Find that, in fact, there were also Other Countries which were Hidding themselves Behind the Brittish Refusals, too opportunisticaly...(which Suited them)... F.ex. the Swedish, sometimes the Polish, etc."

    -  "So that we (EU) are going to Face Different, or even Similar Dificulties, but vis a vis Other Partners", he Warned, for the foreseable Future. And, "while it was Easy, in the Past, to systematicaly Blame the Brittish : something quite Conveniant, this will No more be possible", also Later-on : "We will have to take our Responsibilities", Danjean Warned.

     + A"2nd Point, which also Alleviates the BREXIT's (supposed) Virtues concerning (EU) Defense, is that England  -whether we Like it, or not, and even if one might Discuss its current Military Capabilities-  still Remains, However,  Together with France, one of the Main Military Components in Europe" !" 

    - "So that, if you Want to Develop something Ambitious in Europe, in the Military Field, while pushing the British aside, this does Not seem very Realistic, at least Not in the Long Run....", he Denounced.

    - "But, what are going to do the Brittish in the Future, it depends on them... "

    - However, "As we (France) already have Bilateral Deals with the UK" (on SDP), "which are Not Affected at all by the BREXIT", "I also Hope that, very Soon, it will also Become Possible for the EU, Collectively, to make Similar Arrangements "ad hoc", in order to Continue Working Together".

    - "I'm Not very Anxious" about that, "Because the Common Security and Defense Policy is something Very Flexible", so that "Cooperation with 3rd Countries, in CFSP, is Not so much Complicated. And we (EU) are always Happy to have such Deals with 3rd Countries, which Cooperate in several Operations", he explained.

    + Now, "concerning, specifically, Security issues, such as Counter-Terrorism operations, etc., I think that Nobody should Play Games to provoke Fear, particularly just after the Manchester Massacre" : In fact, "the Franco-Brittisj Cooperation is Strong, and Will remain Strong" also in the Future, Because it does Not pass through Brussels !", the Experienced MEP pointed out.

     - "This is Only done, Formally, in very Few Cases, Just for some Small Segments  - Such as "EuroPol, f.ex., which is going to be Affected by BREXIT, as well as Other EU Agencies. But, there too, "EuroPol" has several Cooperations with Other Countries, where it Integrates, very Rapidly, also 3rd Countries : F.ex. the USA Participate in EuroPol !. So, it wan't be so Difficult to have also the English there, who are Europeans", he indicated.

     - In general "Anti-Terror Cooperation goes mainly through (National) Capitals, Not Brussels, and, therefore, it woN't be very seriously Affected by BREXIT, and that's Good !", Danjean concluded on that point.

    + "The Essential Questions, therefore, are mainly Political :"

    -  "First, when Europeans are Blocked, as far as Their own Will on Defense Issues is concerned", (Comp. Supra), "that's the Time of Truth : they won't be, no more, able to Hide themselves behind the English, (as we've already seen Before)"....

    - "Second, I think that it's the British' own Interest to Continue in Contributing" to Europe's "Security/Defense Policy. And, I might be in Error, perhaps the Future might Belie me, but, I Bet that the Brittish are sufficiently Pragmatic, in order to Respond Positively, if we (EU) Mark some real Successes in the area of Defense". So that, "If the European Defense makes certain real Advances, I'm sure that the Brittish would like to Take a Part in that, in One Way, or AnOther", Danjean optimisticaly foresaw.

    - "F.ex., among some Modest, but Interesting Precedents in EU Security/Defense Policy, is also that of 2008, when Spain and France wished to Launch an Anti-Piracy operation around the Somalian Coasts, (i.e. near Suez Channel) : While it was, initialy, Spain and France who were Pushing in that direction, the British appearing UnWilling, nevertheless, it was Inconceivable for Great Britain, that a Franco-Spanish Maritime Operation might Work, withOut the UK ! So that, when it became a Success, not only they (the British) Started to Participate, but they (the UK) even... Took Over that Operation's HeadQuarters !", he reminded.

    + "Moreover, while the British, almost always, systematicaly Complaint against any EU's common Security and Defense Policy, nevertheless, whenever EU goes on with such an ESDP operation, almost Always, at a Key Position, there is a British Officer coming and going around there !", Danjean made People spontaneously laugh.. "Some might Claim that this culd, perhaps, be attempts to Sabotage. But, I'd say, Optimisticaly, that they just Want to Know what's going on : If they (the British) See something which really Works, then, they would like to Contribute into that", he concluded.     

    >>> "But, from Now on, it will be upon us (the EU) to Prove that it Can Work !", the Experienced Top MEP Warned.

    Timely, Danjean's observations came just before an important EU Summit in Brussels, Next Week, which is due to Focus also on CFSP.

    +Meanwhile, it's also "EURO-CORPS", the European Army HQ Organisation, based in Strasbourg, with Main Partners : France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland, as well as Liaison Officers from Italy, Greece, and Other Countries, (that has already been entrusted with Missions to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Mali, etc), which is due to Officialy Celebrate its 25th Anniversary, at the Beginning of September 2017, on the occasion of the transfert of its Rotating Presidency from Spain to Germany, for 1 Year, (9/2017-8/2018), "Eurofora" was informed.

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(NDLR : Fast Translation from the Original in French)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).

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