EU DECLARES U.S. A KEY SECURITY AND DEFENSE PARTNER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000228 SIPDIS NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2025 TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL EUN SUBJECT: EU DECLARES U.S. A KEY SECURITY AND DEFENSE PARTNER BRUSSELS 00000228 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Political M-C Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and ( d). ¶1. (C/NF) Summary: EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) ambassadors recently approved a policy paper on EU defense and security relations with non-EU countries, which singles out the United States as an indispensable partner, according to French Pol-Mil Counselor Thomas Bertin (protect). Bertin said the paper envisions more than U.S. participation in EU-led operations and argued that a closer bilateral partnership would give the U.S. greater influence over EU action while affording the EU the opportunity to secure U.S. political and possibly material support for EU operations. Bertin said Paris agrees with the assessment in the UK Defense Green Paper that a strong EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) strengthens NATO. End Summary. -------------- INDISPENSABLE PARTNER -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) During a February 12 meeting, Thomas Bertin (protect),Pol-Mil Counselor in the French Permanent Representation, told PolOff that EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) ambassadors had recently approved a paper on EU relations with non-EU countries in the context of the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). Bertin said the paper singles out the United States as an indispensable partner, a point France supported strongly in the PSC. The EU recognizes that wherever it is engaged, the United States will have an interest. Comment: We are unaware of any plans to approve this paper at a higher level, but will ask our interlocutors to pass us a copy through the U.S.-EU Security of Classified Information Agreement so we can discuss it with the EU as a whole. End Comment. -------------- -------------- PARTNERSHIP BIGGER THAN PARTICIPATION IN MISSIONS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) Bertin said the U.S.-EU partnership on CSDP should go beyond U.S. participation in EU-led operations. In this context, he called attention to the potential partnership between the U.S. and the EU to train Somali security forces. Such collaboration would not involve U.S. participation in the EU's training mission, but would nonetheless be a tangible form of cooperation, with the U.S. and EU providing separate but coordinated support to a Ugandan-led training program. At the same time, the EU welcomes U.S. participation in EU-led missions, such as in Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. ¶4. (C/NF) In countries where both NATO and the EU are engaged, he suggested that U.S. military cooperation with the EU take place via NATO. However, he noted that in many cases, NATO is not engaged in countries or regions where the EU is leading operations. In these cases, as in Somalia or the Democratic Republic of Congo, bilateral cooperation makes more sense. ¶5. (C/NF) Bertin opined that the EU should have shared and discussed its planning documents for the 2008-2009 Chad operation with the United States. He said he thought that sharing such documents would give the U.S. additional influence over the EU operation, but would help the EU secure political and even material support from the U.S. -------------- A STRONG CSDP STRENGTHENS NATO -------------- ¶6. (C/NF) PolOff referred to a recently released UK Green Paper on defense (septel),which argues that a strong CSDP strengthens NATO, and asked if France shares this perspective. Bertin said Paris agrees for several reasons. First, he said the existence of CSDP puts additional pressure on European countries to improve their military capabilities, which are ultimately available for either organization. Secondly, he said NATO cannot be BRUSSELS 00000228 002 OF 002 engaged everywhere. He said no one doubts that NATO is the appropriate organization to undertake a mission like Afghanistan. However, the EU can undertake other, often lower-intensity missions that require a different toolkit. He said these kinds of missions often take place in Africa, though he added that he was not suggesting that NATO and the EU should divide their labor along geographic lines. ¶7. (C/NF) Bertin recommended including language in NATO's summit communique explicitly stating that a strong CSDP strengthens NATO. He said such language would go beyond previous statements, which have simply "recognized the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense." (Comment: It was not clear to us that Bertin was expressing a national position on this subject, but our past experience has been that he works from clear guidance from Paris and is careful to specify when he is not speaking under instructions. End Comment.) ¶8. (C/NF) Bertin made these observations while saying that Paris wants both NATO and the EU to be strong. He noted that just three years ago, France's attitude towards NATO was "ambiguous," but that France now supports the Alliance fully. Comment: Paris's approach suggests we can work with France and other Allies to, along the lines of the recent UK Green Paper's observation, ensure that a viable CSDP supports a strong NATO. End Comment. KENNARD .