Τhe European Union, within the framework of strengthening its second pillar of the Common Foreign and Security and Policy (CFSP), has taken at the Helsinki European Council, in December 1999, the historic decision for the development of the European Military Capabilities.
As a first step, the European Defence force will consist of 50.000-60.000 persons, supported by the necessary air-navy means, which is capable of carrying out the so-called “Petersberg tasks”, as these have been set out in the Amsterdam Convention, i.e. missions of enforcing or maintaining peace, crisis management and humanitarian missions, in support of the European Union΄s Common Foreign and Security Policy. In the same decision, it has been specified that the EU member states, the non EU NATO member states and EU accession candidate countries, may participate in these missions if they wish to do so.
Along those lines and based on the decision for EU accession, the Republic of Cyprus has pledged its contribution to this European Force on 21st November 2000, in Brussels, during an ad hoc meeting of Defence Ministers of the 15 EU member States, 13 candidate states and 2 associated countries.
Cyprus΄ contribution consists of one Transport Company Division, of approximately 170 persons, one system of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV΄s), air and marine surveillance systems, the search and rescue service, as well as assistance in the Cyprus territory. Bilateral contacts followed between European military staff and National Guard Officers, during which Cyprus contribution was assessed and included in the list of contributions, despite the objections raised by Turkey.
Furthermore, during a meeting of European Defence Ministers in November 2004, the Cypriot Defence Minister announced, after a decision by the Ministerial Council, Cyprus΄ contribution, with a Medical group, the necessary medical personnel, equipment and vehicles, which may be used for complementing or reinforcing the Battle Groups.
ECAP Project Groups
The EU, after the member states΄ contribution to the European Military Capabilities and the recording of shortages, in order to implement the Headline Task Force, has decided to establish the project groups in order to study the way of covering these shortages. The Council has invited the acceding states to contribute in this effort by completing these military capability shortages. The Ministry of Defence has responded to this invitation and so far is participating with officers in five of the 15 project groups which have been set up for this purpose, particularly in the Headquarters Project Groups, NBC, UAV, interoperability and procedures for operations evacuation and humanitarian operations and of strategic sea lift groups. Ιn October 2004, we have hosted here in Cyprus, the workings of the Strategic Sea Lift project group, in June 2005 we have hosted the working group dealing with NBC issues, while we are scheduling the hosting of the meeting of the UAV project group in September 2005.
Participating in Institutions and Committees of CFSP
After submitting our contribution and following the current developments, the need for our presence in Brussels has become more evident and for this reason, after consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have appointed an officer at the Permanent Mission at the EU as of September 2001, who has been assigned duties of military representative to the EU Military Committee, military councillor for CFSP matters and Defence Attache in Belgium. Since November 2004, another officer has been assigned duties of assistant military representative.
The policy of the Ministry of Defence, after the signature of the Accession Treaty based on decisions of the Council of Ministers, is to participate in the necessary committees where our positions are being projected and positive interventions are made. The participation of the Ministry of Defence in EU organs, committees and initiatives is as follows:
In the Political and Security Committee (PSC), the Republic is represented by a diplomat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who is accompanied by the Military Councillor.
In the Military Committee (EUMC) the Chief of the Armed Forces is represented every six months and by the Military Representative or his assistant, in the weekly meetings.
In the Military Staff (EUMS), with the military councillor, as point of contact.
In the EUMC Project Group, with the military councillor.
In the Security Intelligence Committee we participate with personnel from Cyprus.
Furthermore, we have been offered one position for an officer, at the EUMS which we will fill as of next September.
Satellite Centre and Institute for Security Studies in the EU
Two other EU organs with which the Ministry of Defence is cooperating, is the Satellite Centre in Spain, with a principal mission to support EU military operations and the Institute for Security Studies in Paris with the mission to provide consultation to the PSI and the Council.
Crisis Management Exercises
The crisis management exercises are politico-military level exercises, where the common procedures for crisis management are examined at EU level, as well as the national procedures of every country, so as to have a common line of operation. These exercises take place either solely by the EU or in cooperation with other organizations (NATO – UN). The Republic of Cyprus has been actively participating in the planning and execution of EU exercises, represented in the bodies and Headquarters which are being set up. The most recent exercise in which the Republic of Cyprus has participated was the exercise of EU cooperation with UN under code no. EST-05, while we will be participating with 4 officers in the EU autonomous crisis management exercise under code no. CPX.05. We have also participated in the Exercise European Challenge 2005, CPM 2005.
Operations
On 12 June 2003, the EU has conducted the first autonomous Military Operation in the Peoples Republic of Congo with the code name “ARTEMIS”. The operation was conducted after United Nations decision whereby the temporary development of a multinational force was approved in Bunia, Congo. The aim was the contribution, development and stability of safety conditions, the return of refugees to their homes and the improvement of their humane situation. In this operation Cyprus has participated with one officer at the Operations Headquarters in Paris.
As of July 2005, we are participating in the operation “AMIS” in Sudan, with one National Guard officer, for a period of six months. The officer has undertaken the responsibilities of dealing with personnel matters, in the framework of EU assistance to the African Union in Khartoum.
Seminars
The development of military capabilities and generally all the crisis management framework is multiphase and multivariable. One of the ways of examining and forwarding the various elements of CFSP is through seminars and EU initiatives or through member states. Cyprus is being invited and is trying to participate bearing in mind that the results of these seminars end up in documents which are being given for processing to the institutions. For instance, our participation in seminars concerning the code of conduct for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the implementation of humanitarian law in the armed forces, crisis management, intelligence management, cartography, the role of multinational forces in peace keeping operations, etc.
The Ministry of Defence has sent one officer to study at the European College during the academic year 2004-2005 and will send one officer during 2005-2006.
Source : Ministry of Defence
Last Update : August 2005 |