----- Original Message ----- From: Francisco Javier Bernal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2000 4:04 PM Subject: Robin Cook dismisses European army claims [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK Cook dismisses European army claims 2:58pm Sunday, 19th November 2000 Robin Cook has launched a new broadside at eurosceptics, dismissing claims that British troops are about to become part of a 'Euro-army.' The Foreign Secretary has made the attack just hours before Britain is expected to commit up to 20,000 troops to a new European Union "Rapid Reaction Force" at a landmark meeting in Brussels. The 15 EU member states agreed at a summit last year to set up a force that would be able to deploy 60,000 troops within 60 days for peacekeeping and crisis management and humanitarian aid operations lasting up to a year. It is not intended to be a fighting force. The Government says such European co-operation complements rather than undermines Nato, with the UK contingent and its deployment remaining firmly under UK control. Tory eurosceptics are seizing on the defence initiative as another sign of disappearing national sovereignty. But Mr Cook insisted: "Lurid claims that we will set up a Euro-army this week are a vivid example of Euro-scare tactics. Let's have the facts not myths. "There is not going to be a Euro-army. All decisions on whether British forces take part in any operation - and how much they contribute - will be taken by the British government. "The European Union is not going to take on collective defence. That is the job of Nato. The Atlantic alliance is not being undermined - the US Defence Secretary has supported the European initiative in glowing terms. Nor has Brussels imposed this step on us." (c) Copyright Ananova Ltd 2000, all rights reserved. ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to effectively manage your Accounts Receivables? Need to maximize cash flow? Now, you can with Freeworks' FREE ONLINE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGER! Create invoices, track receivables, review account statements and much more! http://www.bcentral.com/listbot/Freeworks
