-Caveat Lector- Europe Will Forge Security, Defense By ROBERT WIELAARD .c The Associated Press COLOGNE, Germany (AP) -- Hoping to lessen their reliance on U.S. military power, European Union leaders approved a blueprint Thursday for achieving a stronger collective defense by the end of next year. A declaration issued on the opening day of a two-day summit said the EU must be able to respond to crises without having to rely on U.S.-provided hardware, communications and intelligence. The EU wants to take on a greater role in crisis prevention and peacekeeping around Europe. ``Europe has to prepare an active policy in crisis management with its own means,'' said German Deputy Foreign Minister Guenter Verheugen, noting that the Kosovo crisis served as a painful reminder of EU shortcomings. In a move to give the EU political and military clout commensurate with its economic power, the leaders named the EU's first foreign policy czar-- a high-ranking official to speak for the EU in diplomacy and defense matters. The post went to former Spanish foreign minister Javier Solana, whose term as NATO secretary-general ends at the end of the year. While the Europeans are keen to shed their image as freeloaders under America's security blanket, they have long been unwilling to make the sort of investments needed for a significant European defense identity. EU military operations have long been on the drawing board, but a lack of will to translate that into action and a fear that a go-it-alone Europe would undermine NATO have prevented the plan from becoming reality. The EU leaders said this time was different. ``We ... are resolved that the European Union shall play its full role on the international stage. To that end, we intend to give the European Union the necessary means and capabilities to assume its responsibilities regarding a common European policy on security and defense,'' the leaders said in a draft statement. The leaders pledged to have systems in place by the end of next year to respond independently to crises. They signaled this was no break with NATO, which remains the key European security provider. The EU wants to use NATO assets -- including planes, communications, command and control centers -- to prevent Balkan-style crises and to deploy peacekeepers in cases when the United States wants to stay on the sidelines. In practice, NATO assets mean U.S. assets. The Europeans lack sufficient airlift capability to move troops, hardware and humanitarian supplies, their satellite capabilities pale in comparison to those of the United States and they have no joint command and control system. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
