Washington and London have spoken out against plans for closer defence ties announced by four European Union countries which opposed the war in Iraq
Published:
30 April 2003 y., Wednesday
The leaders of France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg ended a mini-summit in Brussels by announcing plans for the creation of a joint military planning system by next year, and a multinational headquarters for European military operations in which Nato is not involved.
The four countries - all members of Nato - also intend to set up their own rapid reaction force. They also want to launch a European Security and Defence Union, which others would be encouraged to join.
Hopes that Europe was ready to move closer to a common defence and foreign policy have been left in tatters by the Iraq war, which split the EU into pro- and anti-war camps.
The mini-summit has been criticised for worsening the rift - and critics pointed out that it had excluded the EU's biggest military power, the UK.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the US saw no need for the proposed new EU military command. He also played down the significance of the summit agreement on defence.
Šaltinis:
BBC News
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
On 27 August at the meeting of foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland (NB8) in Riga, head of Lithuania’s diplomacy called on the Nordic and Baltic States for greater integration.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė offered her congratulations to Mihai Ghimpu, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament and Acting President of Moldova, on Independence Day.
more »
Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Ažubalis encouraged the ambassadors to take the initiative in searching for potential investors from the countries of their representation, and in inviting Lithuanian businesses to look for export opportunities and partners.
more »
At the annual convention of Lithuanian ambassadors, President Dalia Grybauskaitė gave an overview of this year's main foreign policy issues, discussed top priorities and defined foreign policy guidelines for the next year.
more »
On 24 August at Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania’s and Germany’s Governments will conclude an agreement on mutual representation by diplomatic and consular missions in visa application procedures.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Polish President Bronisław Komorowski who is currently on vacation in Lithuania.
more »
Lithuania delegates Deputy Director of Lithuania’s National Police School professor Alvydas Šakočius to the Police Advisory Group of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to Kyrgyzstan.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė expressed, on behalf of the people of Lithuania and herself, condolences to President Giorgio Napolitano of the Italian Republic on the death of President Francesco Cossiga.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė received letters of credence from Ambassador Igor Klipii of the Republic of Moldova.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė extended condolences to President Hu Jintao over the tragic disaster in China's Gansu province - claiming more than one thousand innocent lives.
more »