>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rick Rozoff) >Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2000 07:44:21 -0500 (CDT) > >STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM > >Sunday Times (UK) >September 3 2000 >EUROPE >EU plans armed police force for world hot spots >Stephen Grey >A PARAMILITARY police force is being established by the European Union >to intervene in conflict areas across the world to protect the >community's political and economic interests. >Brussels has drawn up plans for a 5,000-strong armed police capability >able to carry out "preventative and repressive" actions in support of >global peacekeeping missions. Critics say it is a deliberate challenge >to the United Nations. >The new body, which may be given the name European Security and >Intelligence Force (Esif), would work alongside a 60,000-strong EU >defence force that is also being set up. >The security force - likened to France's gendarmerie or the Royal Ulster >Constabulary and made up of policemen from Britain and other EU members >- would be intended primarily for use in trouble spots such as Kosovo. >Although it is not clear when recruitment to the force will begin, it is >expected to be fully operational by 2003. >Critics fear, however, that its units, armed with light machineguns and >trained to operate alongside EU ground troops, may eventually be used to >suppress disorder within member states. No restrictions on its sphere of >operations have been placed in the regulations so far agreed by EU >governments, and detailed "rules of engagement" have not yet been drawn >up. >"This is an appalling development," said Timothy Kirkhope, the former >Home Office minister and now Conservative chief whip in the European >parliament. "Al-though they say this police force would be used only in >places like Kosovo, once the structure is in place there is an implied >threat to deploy it anywhere, including on home soil." >Tony Bunyon, the director of Statewatch, a civil liberties group which >monitors the EU's security policy, said the creation of the force was >part of a broader drive by the EU to enhance its powers: "The European >Union is working hard to become a player alongside the United States in >policing the world." >It was of particular concern, Bunyan added, that details of the new >structure would be kept secret, under regulations quietly agreed by EU >governments during the summer that end the right of public access to >information about both military and civilian crisis management. >A Foreign Office spokesman said the need for an international policing >ability had been revealed in Kosovo when British troops found themselves >engaged in police work to "restore and maintain law and order". >"There is no attempt at all to reduce the role of the United Nations," >he said. There was also "no question" of the force being used within the >EU. >The new police units, like the EU's defence arm, will be under the >control of a political and security committee, composed of ambassadors >from each EU country. >Effective operational command, however, will be in the hands of Javier >Solana, the Spanish former secretary-general of Nato who is now >secretary-general of the council of ministers. >A spokesman for Solana said last week that the police units would be >modelled on such paramilitary forces as Spain's guardia civil, the >Italian carabinieri, and the French gendarmerie. >There were already more than 3,000 policemen from EU countries deployed >abroad, in the Balkans, Guatemala and East Timor, making the target of >5,000 >a modest one. The big change was to organise things collectively, the >spokesman said. >"We cannot tell where a crisis may occur and EU assistance is requested, >so there is no geographic limitation being placed at all." >Experts believe deploying a police force of 5,000 would require more >than 15,000 men committed and trained for service with the EU. >The impetus for the creation of the force has been the perception of >Britain, France and Germany that the UN failed to act effectively in >preventing bloodshed in the Balkans. But the present plan is >considerably more ambitious, calling on the EU to intervene on the world >stage either in co-operation with or instead of the UN. > > >______________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >BEST PRICES ON THE NET AT IMANDI.COM >Cheapest prices on new cars, insurance, airfare, maids, custom pc's, >mortgages, moving and more! Tell us what you want. We locate it for >free -- across town & across the country. >http://on.linkexchange.com/?ATID=27&AID=1453 > _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
