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OUT DRUG INTERDICTION AND IMMIGRATION CONTROL OPERATIONS OR CONDUCT GENERAL SURVEILLANCE AND DETER AND COUNTER THREATS TO EUROPEAN INTERESTS SEMI CLN MARITIME FORCES CAN BE ALSO USED TO EVACUATE EUROPEAN AND OTHER NATIONALS FORM A TROUBLE-SPOT. IN ADDITION TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH COULD BE MADE BY A NUMBER OF EUROPEAN NAVIES, THE WELL-PRACTISED UK/NETHERLANDS LANDING FORCE, COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, BE A CANDIDATE FOR A RANGE OF WEU OPERATIONS.
THE GULF WAR VIVIDLY DEMONSTRATED THE ROLE OF AIR POWER IN A MAJOR CONFLICT. THERE IS A RANGE OF TASKS IN WHICH EUROPEAN AIR FORCES MIGHT PLAY A PART. IN OUR OWN CASE, IN ADDITION TO THE RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OR INTERVENTION FORCES, OUR AIR TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT HAVE FREQUENTLY BEEN TO THE FORE IN HUMANITARIAN TASKS, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED FOOD SUPPLIES TO ETHIOPIA AND NORTHERN IRAQ.
THE ESSENTIAL MESSAGE HERE IS THAT THE WEU SHOULD HAVE AVAILABLE TO
IT A VARIETY OF FORCES AND CAPABILITIES: THE FRANCO-GERMAN CORPS MAY
BE ONE OF THESE. THERE WILL ALSO BE MANY OTHERS. AS LONG AS THEY OPERATE UNDER WEU AND ARE COMPATIBLE WITH OUT NATO OBLIGATIONS, THE ALLIANCE WILL BE STRENGTHENED.
I HAVE SET OUT HERE SOME VIEWS ON HOW WE CAN GIVE REAL IMPETUS AND SUBSTANCE TO EUROPEAN DEFENCE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO. WHAT I
HAVE SUGGESTED REPRESENTS FOR US AN EXCITING CHALLENGE AND COULD
ENABLE THE WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION TO MAKE A DECISIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE PEACE AND SECURITY WITHIN THE TRANS-ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP
WHICH WE ENJOY IN NATO. IT WILL GIVE EUROPE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND
CAPABILITY OF ACTION WITHOUT BREAKING THE BONDS OF CONSULTATION AND
MILITARY ORGANISATION WHICH KEEP NATO TOGETHER.
I HOPE THAT WEU PARTNERS WILL SHARE OUR APPROACH AND WILL JOIN THE
UK IN RESPONDING TO WEU REQUIREMENTS. THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO COMPLEMENT NATOS STRENGTHS, AND COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLID DEFENCE IN FUTURE: A STRONG EUROPEAN PILLAR, IN A STRONG ALLIANCE
BT
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