My arch nemesis since the day he was appointed as High Representative of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Javier Solana is someone have come to dislike within the EU, he is an example of a person who seeks a greater EU, and was never elected to make decisions for me, or any European citizen. For the last few years I have observed his close relationship with NATO head George Robertson, and read many of his speeches on a closer relationship between the EU and NATO.
In this article in the IHT he is quite clear on how he wants the EU to progress. I am glad that he is so crystal clear, so many politicians muddy the waters on the subject, so people do not really know what is going on in the EU. This was seen in the recent Nice debate here in Ireland.
You see Nice, we were told, had nothing to do with European defence, and Irish neutrality would not be threatened. This is on the face of it true, but Nice is just another treaty in a long line of treaties that will increase power in Brussels, so it is part of a process. And as Solana points out “The future of Europe is intrinsically linked to that of its defense”. Now we were told 2 months ago that the Rapid Reaction Force was purely for ‘peace making’ and peace keeping, but surely we would need more if we have to defend Europe.
The solution?
“If Turkey wishes to take its place in Europe, then it must also play its part in the European defense project. If Turkey understands and accepts this, it will wish to contribute toward the definition of permanent military arrangements between NATO and the EU.”
Permanent military arrangements? I never voted for that!