Observatory on European defence, September 2008

1 September 2008
Extraordinary European Council - Georgia
The Council firmly condemned Russia's unilateral decision to recognize, on 26 August, the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and confirmed that a lasting solution to the conflict in Georgia has to be based on full respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as sanctioned by international law.
The European Council also examined the current implementation of the peace plan proposed by the EU French Presidency last August and then accepted by both parties; pointing out that of the six priority targets listed, the two last points are a matter of urgency. 1) commitment not to resort to force; 2) a complete ceasefire; 3) unfettered access for humanitarian aid; 4) withdrawal of Georgian military forces to their usual quarters; 5) withdrawal of Russian military forces to positions held prior to the outbreak of hostilities (while waiting for an international mechanism, the Russian peacekeepers will be in charge of additional security measures); 6) starting up international debates on how to assure security conditions and stability in Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia.
The EU also highlighted the need for a very close partnership with Moscow, bound to full enforcement of the peace plan.
As for the international monitoring mechanism mentioned in point 5, its activation, together with EU participation, is strongly recommended. An evaluating mission, aimed at finding possible ways to contribute in the ESDP framework, is currently at work.
Finally, the Council stressed the need for Europe to redouble its efforts to ensure the security of energy supplies and invited the Council, in cooperation with the Commission, to examine any initiative to be taken to this end, in particular as regards the diversification of energy sources and supply routes. In this framework, on 8 September, both the Commission and the African Union launched an Energy Partnership.

8 September 2008 
Georgia - EU Delegation in Moscow and Tbilisi
An EU Delegation - EU President Sarkozy, President of the European Commission, Barroso, and the High Representative for the CFSP, Solana - flew to Tbilisi and Moscow and signed an agreement on the withdrawal of Russian forces, in accordance with the six-point peace plan. The withdrawal from areas neighbouring on South Ossetia and Abkhazia is scheduled for completion within 10 days after the deployment of the international monitoring mechanism - this latter including at least 200 European observers, most of which police officials - planned to take place by 1 October 2008 at the latest.

15-16 September 2008
EU General Affairs and External Relations Council - Georgia, Somalia and Chad
As regards the Georgian crisis, EU Ministers have substantially confirmed the 1 September European Council Conclusions and approved the Common Action representing the legal basis of the ESPD civilian observation mission in Georgia: the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM). This mission aims at monitoring the concrete implementation of the six-point peace plan. Moreover, in the long term, it should contribute to the stability of the Georgian territory and of the neighbouring areas in terms of governance, rule of law, public order, the security of energy infrastructure, as well as the return of refugees and displaced people.
As for the Russian forces' withdrawal, according to the 8 September agreement, Moscow has to withdraw from areas neighbouring on South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the positions held before the outbreak of hostilities. It will, however, only be the first step, since the Common action provides for the complete withdrawal from the Georgian territory.
The European mission capacity - as updated by PSC at the end of September - is around 350 units (including the Headquarters' staff in Tbilisi and more than 200 observers) coming from 22 Member States. Its deployment is scheduled to begin on 1 October 2008 at the latest, with an initial duration of one year and a 35 million euro budget.
The Council also supported the idea of an independent international inquiry into the responsibilities for the conflict in Georgia and invited the Commission to prepare an international Donors Conference to be held next October in Brussels. The EU also decided to allocate 500 million euro as financial aid for Georgia in the 2008-2010 period, 100 of which to be paid out before the end of the current year.
To support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1814 and 1816 (2008) concerning the fight against piracy and the protection of vessels on course to Somalia chartered by the WFP, EU Ministers decided to establish a Coordination Unit (EU NAVCO) in Brussels, charged with supporting the surveillance and protection activities carried out by some Member States off the Somali coast. They also took into account the possibility of launching an EU naval military operation, approving, to this end, a strategic military option and hoping for a rapid planning process.
On 19 September, the Council adopted a Common Action to activate the EU NAVCO, allocating 60 million euros through Athena, the mechanism financing the common costs of ESDP missions. The PCS shall take the strategic direction and political control over the Unit and the EUMC shall direct the military activities.
The Council took note of the EU military operation EUFOR CHAD/RCA's full operating capability and adopted a decision concerning Croatia's participation in the mission. On 1 September, Russian President Medvedev decided to dispatch 200 military units and 4 helicopters for a period of 12 months maximum.
On 24 September, the High Representative for the CFSP, Solana, confirmed during a speech at the UN Security Council for the half-term review of the mission, that it is scheduled to conclude on 15 March 2009. The aim of the mission is to improve concretely the security in the region and favour the full deployment of the UN mission MINURCAT. In order to avoid a security vacuum, Solana identified three priority goals: proper handover to the UN on 15 March 2009, the need to cover both Chad and the Central African Republic, and the need for UN SC early planning.
On 22 September, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon issued a report stating the need for a UN force of about 6,000 units to relieve EUFOR CHAD/RCA tasks. On 24 September, the UN SC adopted resolution 1834 (2008) authorizing (after a formal decision to be taken by 15 December 2008) the deployment of a UN military component for the EUFOR CHAD/RCA mission's follow-up. The Union will ensure its financial and planning support to the UN during the handover.
The new UN mission should reinforce MINURCAT and use the infrastructures created by EUFOR CHAD/RCA in addition to the new ones. Its Headquarters should be based at MINURCAT Headquarters in N'Djamena (capital of Chad). According to the VII Chapter of the UN Charter, the mission aims at ensuring the security of Chadian citizens, strengthening the delivery of humanitarian aid and implementing the MINURCAT mandate: the resolution defers the conclusion of MINURCAT to 15 March 2009 and expresses its intention to extend the multinational presence in Chad and the Central African Republic well beyond that date in order to create the security conditions necessary for the refugees' return home.

September 2008
EU Capabilities - Crisis management, Space
On 15-16 September, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council approved an EU-Canada working programme to enhance their civil-military cooperation in crisis management.
On 23 September, the third exercise testing the correct implementation of the Crisis Coordination Arrangements (CCA, political coordination agreements to support Member States in their response to crises at the European level), was successfully carried out. The exercise, led by the Presidency with the support of the General Secretariat of the Council and of the Commission, was based on a fictitious scenario of natural disasters and destruction of critical infrastructures in a number of European countries.
On 26 September, the fifth Space Council, bringing together the EU ministers responsible for space policies and the European Space Agency, took place in Brussels. The long final resolution highlights some of the progress already made, with particular reference to Kopernikus (the new name of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - GMES programme), as well as the need to create a European space policy defining common interests and goals to serve European citizens, industries and sovereignty.
Among the new space priorities are climate change, the Lisbon Strategy's contribution to space activities, security and space exploration. As for security, it is important to underline the use of space applications to support ESPD missions: certain GMES security applications, for instance, have recently been used in the EUFOR CHAD/RCA mission. In this case, the system's capacity to provide data to complete - in coordination with the EU Satellite Centre in Torrejon - the traditional intelligence measures used by human and air patrols was tested.
To this end, space governance capabilities of an international political nature are strongly required.

September 2008
NATO - Georgia, Capabilities
On 15 September, the inaugural session of the NATO - Georgia Commission took place; its aims are to improve the mutual political relationship, coordinate the Allies' engagement in rebuilding Georgia and support Tbilisi in carrying out economic, political and defence reforms, in view of its adhesion to NATO. In addition to regular political and ministerial meetings, the Commission can be convened, at the request of Georgia, in any case of perceived threat against its territorial integrity, political independence or security.
Though not planning any military action, NATO is supporting Georgia on different levels: development of defence capabilities, definition of security forces, civilian planning for emergencies and humanitarian aid delivery.
On 18-19 September, NATO Defence Ministers formally met in London. Among other things, their agenda included the transformation of the Atlantic Alliance, discussing methods for optimizing investments in the defence field and the availability of critical assets, such as helicopters to be able to support missions better.
With regard to forces, they discussed a request recently put forward by some States (firstly the Baltic Republics, followed by Poland and Czech Republic), that is for NATO to orient the forces at its disposal towards collective defence tasks rather than towards expeditionary force tasks. However, NATO, supported by the assessment of its Military Committee, claims there is no difference between these two kinds of forces or between their operational needs. Nevertheless, the latter need to be improved, also by retrieving new resources through rationalization of its Headquarters and the use of collective capabilities, as already arranged, for instance, for strategic transport capabilities.