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Informal Meeting of the Defence Ministers of the EU Press Release: Brussels (28-02-2000) |
INFORMAL MEETING OF THE DEFENCE MINISTERS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY INFORMATION TO THE PRESS |
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The Defence Ministers
of the European Community met informally, in Sintra, on the 28th February
2000. The aim of this meeting was to examine, according to the decision
made in the Helsinki European Council (10 -11 December 1999), the progress
attained, regarding the implementation of the necessary means to provide
Europe with the defence capacity and common security. Therefore, the Ministers
went through the paperwork again and made na assessment of the steps already
taken during the current Portuguese Presidency, regarding the necessary
means and structures, so that the European Union countries may begin the
preparation of future European Security and Defence procedures. In order
to do so, the Ministers agreed that as from the 1st March 2000, the temporary
structures that will prepare the future European Military Committee and
European Military Major Staff, may start to operate in the Council Building
(Justus Lipsius), in Brussels. These organs, together with the Security
and Politics Committee, will allow the European Union to adopt the necessary
political strategy in order to orientate standard operations as "Petersberg".
Bearing in mind the aim set up in Helsinki, according to which the Member
States will co-operate, of their free will, until 2003, to the creation
of a force of approximately 50.000 to 60.000 men, the Ministers agreed
upon a programme leading to a Force Generation Conference, which will be
held, probably, till the end of 2000. The Ministers also engaged themselves
to appoint, at short term, the national representatives in the interim
military structures, so that they can start their works as from the next
March.
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