France, Slovenia Discuss Defence Topics
French Defence Minister Herve Morin and his Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec discussed at a meeting on Thursday the priorities of their successive EU presidencies in a bid to ensure the continuum of policies launched by the German EU presidency through 2008.
"We are two pillars of the same bridge, which is firm as it is based on trust and a common, almost identical, attitude to European defence policy," Morin told the press after the meeting in Ljubljana, adding that he and Erjavec want defence policy to get the impetuous that it deserves.
Talks revolved around the development of EU military capacities as well as the European Defence Agency. Erjavec said Slovenia would try to make sure during its presidency stint that the agency kick into action.
"We want the European Defence Agency to eventually get a three-year budget so that it could launch new programmes related to the European technological and industrial base," Erjavec said.
Talking about the relationship between the EU and NATO, the ministers agreed that capabilities should not be duplicated, as the organisations need to play their respective roles in defence policy.
The ministers further discussed international peacekeeping missions, foremost among them the mission in Chad. "I am very glad that the selection of forces has succeeded so the operation can commence," Erjavec said.
According to him, Slovenia will contribute 15 soldiers to the Chad mission and they will operate under the auspices of the French forces there.
Morin noted that France appreciated Slovenia's contribution in Chad. He was confident that the French would convince the EU to start intervention in Chad and the Central African Republic, which would settle the problems in the Sudanese region of Darfur.
The 3,500-strong EU mission has already been agreed but awaits approval from the EU foreign ministers, who are meeting late in January.
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