The newest EU and NATO members are ready to play a positive role in defence cooperation, writes His Excellency Štefan Füle

On May 1, 2004 the Czech Republic, together with nine other countries, joined the European Union. Only a month earlier, on March 29, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation welcomed seven new members. Quite justifiably, 2004 will go down in history as the “year of enlargement” of the two most important Euro-Atlantic institutions. Is it a coincidence? With NATO and the EU having 19 members and a number of issues in common, I would rather see it as an opportunity.

For the Czech Republic, NATO remains the foundation of collective defence. Yet as a new member of the European Union, we appreciate that the EU is developing as a serious security actor.
The problem of the Euro-Atlantic community is not that there are too many security organisations seeking a purpose. On the contrary, there is regrettably more than enough work to do. But there is a need for a Europe that can finally rise above the technical, the institutional and the procedural - a Europe that can act militarily when the need arises. There is also a need for a strong transatlantic link since, despite the occasional argument, Europe and North America need each other.

In light of this, the impetus given to the development of a credible European defence by the UK joining Franco-German efforts is welcome. It is certainly positive that the three biggest EU members are talking to each other and agreeing on things. It is also true that once countries with positions and interests as complex and diverse as France, Germany and the UK agree, most issues will have been taken into consideration. Given the proximity of views on most important defence-related issues, the Czech Republic finds UK involvement especially reassuring.

However, it would be unacceptable for my country if the big three were to "precook" decisions and let the other member states “take them or leave them”. Such a development would invariably lead to a two-speed Europe. And even with the best of intentions, three countries will never be able to fully appreciate the concerns and limitations of the other 22.

The principle of equal treatment and access extends, of course, beyond defence. However, this does not mean that everybody has to be involved in everything, all the time and to the same degree. There will be times when a group of countries will have a stronger wish for closer cooperation on certain issues. Such enhanced cooperation is perfectly legitimate, welcome even, as long as it remains transparent and open to all countries willing to join and fulfilling certain minimum criteria.

These criteria will most certainly include capabilities and armaments. And these, in turn, represent areas of logical common interest between NATO and the EU because each member country has only one set of forces and one defence budget. Therefore, in an era of stretched defence funds, it makes sense to ensure that NATO and the EU develop capabilities in a way that is fully transparent, coherent and complementary.

Progress has been made on both the NATO and EU sides: the NATO response force, the new allied command structure and the "battle groups" concept are certainly steps in the right direction. However, much more needs to be done by way of defence reforms.

As a former first deputy defence minister of my country, I think I can say with some confidence that it is not always the new countries that are lagging behind. The Czech Republic, for example, is now contributing a vital new military capability to NATO. Formed under Czech leadership, some 500 troops from 13 countries comprise the first multinational chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence battalion, which will declare full operational readiness on July 1.

I am therefore confident that the newest EU and NATO members will play a positive and constructive role in defence cooperation. They are ready, they are determined and, in a way, they cannot do otherwise because they need both organisations.

When we demonstrated in the streets of Prague in 1989, we wanted more choice. We wanted to choose from more than two sorts of cheese, holiday destinations or schools for our children. But we did not want to choose between NATO and the EU. We have always seen NATO and the EU as complementary and mutually reinforcing organisations rather than an either-or choice.

For this reason, the “new Europe” versus “old Europe” concept does not really suit us. Complementarity is what is required, not mutual anxiety. As I said at the outset, I do not think it is a mere coincidence that both NATO and the EU should be enlarging substantially this year. This is a challenge and an opportunity that must be seized, as it will never be repeated. Let us all act upon it together.

His Excellency Štefan Füle is ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Court of Saint James's

Click here to choose another article on EU defence cooperation.