Global Politician: O Armată Europeană sub o eventuală conducere rusească ?

European Army under the eventual Russian leadership?

Lorna Thomas - 12/21/2010

NATO was founded in 1949 to counter potential aggression from the Soviet Union, seen then as the main threat to the freedom and independence of Western Europe. In November 2010 an historic NATO summit took place. Rather than being viewed as an “enemy” or “threat”, Russia was now welcomed as a “partner” including in a proposed common European missile defense system and, initially, in operations such as Afghanistan.

At the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared the Cold War to be finally over.

2010 sees growing partnership not only between Russia and NATO but with the EU, including in terms of economic and security partnership.

However, a partnership between Europe and Russia - which considers itself part of Europe - could eventually leave the US and UK – two founding members of NATO - “out in the cold” while promises of peace and security could instead herald a period posing a greater threat than during the Cold War.

SILVIO BERLUSCONI, RUSSIA, NATO AND EU MEMBERSHIP

At the beginning of December 2010 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met in the Black Sea town of Sochi for the seventh round of intergovernmental talks.

Silvio Berlusconi has for some years envisioned Russia as part of both NATO and the EU.

In 2002 AFP reported that according to an article released to Italian media in that year Silvio Berlusconi called the newly established NATO-Russia council a “formidable instrument for security and peace in the world”.

“This pact confers a new global status on Russia and commits the West and its military alliance to a partnership with Moscow.” “But all that is only a first step.”

“EU membership next step for Russia after NATO”, AFP, Daily Times, May 28, 2002, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_28-5-2002_pg4_1

In 2002, on his return after meeting with then Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Mr Berlusconi told a meeting of EU foreign ministers, "I have a solution to the vision of Europe." "We must make Russia a member of the E.U."


See:

“Do Not Adjust Your Sets”, TIME Magazine, Jeff Israely,

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901030707-461792,00.html

In 2008 after the Russia-Georgia war, the Telegraph reported that Mr Berlusconi told ministers in Brussels "I consider Russia to be a Western country and my plan is for the Russian Federation to be able to become a member of the EU in the coming years."

See:

“Britain prevents EU from reopening trade talks with Russia”, Telegraph.co.uk, Bruno Waterfield in Brussels and Adrian Blomfield in Moscow, 16 October, 2008

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3210246/Britain-prevents-EU-from-reopening-trade-talks-with-Russia.html

See also:

“Berlusconi says he wants Russia to join the EU”, AFP, Oct 15, 2008

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g2INfqbAE6C9LjlXFkwDrF1l8zbw


CLOSER TIES FORGING BETWEEN RUSSIA AND EU AND NATO

In August 2010, Jean Claude Juncker, Luxembourg prime minister and chairman of the Eurogroup finance ministers of the Eurozone held a joint press conference with President Dmitry Medvedev and referred to Russia's role in European security architecture.

“European security architecture is impossible without Russia, which increases our reasons for continuing the dialogue on bilateral cooperation between Russia and Luxembourg, and Russia and the European Union. I think that an early decision on scrapping visas is becoming necessary, since we have dragged it out for too long.”

“Statements for the media following meeting with Prime Minister of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker, President of Russia website”, August 24, 2010, Sochi, http://eng.kremlin.ru/transcripts/827

In an article published in the German Suddeutsche Zeitung ahead of his visit to Berlin in November 2010, Mr Putin called on the European Union to set a firm deadline for abolishing the visa regime.

See:

Prime Minister Putin's article in Suddeutsche Zeitung:

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/putin-plaedoyer-fuer-wirtschaftsgemeinschaft-von-lissabon-bis-wladiwostok-1.1027908

See also:

“Putin: Full-fledged partnership with Europe impossible while visa regime still remains in place”, RBC Daily, November, 26 2010

http://rbth.ru/articles/2010/11/26/putin_full_fledged_partnership_with_europe_impossible_while_visa_regime_still_remains_in_place05151.html

Mr Putin also proposed a plan for an economic alliance with Europe stretching from Vladivostok to Lisbon. (Since the financial crisis Russia has suggested reducing reliance on the dollar.)

See:

“Putin urges creation of Russia-EU currency zone”, The Voice of Russia, Anna Forostenko, 28 November, 2010

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/11/28/35805491.html

See also:

“Russia headed to WTO via Europe”, Russia Beyond the Headlines, Rustem Falyakhov, Gazeta.Ru

November, 26, 2010

rbth.ru/articles/2010/11/26/russia_headed_to_wto_via_europe05152.html

The 26th EU-Russia summit was held in Brussels on 7 December, 2010 and included focus on achieving progress on trade, partnership for modernisation, visa waiver between Russia and the EU, settling bilateral issues regarding Russia's WTO accession.

Following the Summit, EU Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso stated:

“We believe this is a milestone, because Russia becoming a WTO member in 2011 is now a very realistic perspective. We will continue to support it.”

At the NATO-Russia summit on 20 November 2010 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stressed that any NATO partnership should be on equal terms, echoing Vladimir Putin's stance when asked by BBC's David Frost in 2000 about the possibility of Russia joining NATO. (In 2000, Mr Putin had also suggested to European leaders a plan for joint security that included Russia.)

Following the 19-20 November NATO summit, President Medvedev stated that unless agreement was reached on the anti-missile defense system there would be an increase in the arms race.

See:

“Dmitry Medvedev: “If we are unable to reach a constructive agreement in antimissile defense system, we will see a new spiraling of the arms race”, APA, 30 November, 2010

http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=135474

During an interview with Larry King on CNN aired in December 2010, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Russia would build up its nuclear forces if the United States failed to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed earlier in the year.

See:

““Russia will build up forces without New START”, Putin says”, CNN Wire Staff, 2 December 2010 http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/30/putin.interview/index.html)

While Prime Minister Putin proposed an economic alliance with Europe, “on November 30 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev submitted a “Draft Treaty on European Security” for consideration to the heads of state and government of “all states of the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space from Vancouver to Vladivostok,” as well as to selected international organizations: NATO, the European Union, OSCE, CIS, and the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Under the draft treaty’s article 10, all the addressee states and organizations are eligible to sign the proposed security treaty (full text on Russia’s presidential website, www.kremlin.ru, November 30).”

“Russian President Medvedev Submits Draft Security Architecture Treaty”, The Jamestown Foundation, Vladimir Socor, December 4, 2009

http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=35804

Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is currently chief of both NATO and the NATO-Russia council. Since assuming office in August 2009, a year after the Russia-Georgia conflict, he has advocated Russia's closer involvement with NATO.

Following leaked US cables regarding contingency plans for the defence of Poland and the Baltic states by US, UK, German and Polish divisions, Mr Rasmussen reiterated the stance taken at the November NATO summit saying:

"We do not consider Russia a threat to NATO nor does NATO pose a threat to Russia."

"On the contrary, we want to develop a true strategic partnership between NATO and Russia."

In terms of security, economic and political influence on a global level, it is in Russia's own interests to advocate a move away from a “unipolar” world, one in which the US has been regarded as the only “superpower”.

Rather than being a partner to the US, a Russia allied with Europe, including Germany, could instead present a formidable challenge to US status in the world, and could leave it “out in the cold” militarily and economically.


A EUROPEAN ARMY WAS ENVISAGED IN 1950, BUT COULD IT “UNDERMINE OR ENDANGER THE NORTH ATLANTIC ALLIANCE”?

The so-called “Pleven Plan” proposed in 1950 by the French prime minister, René Pleven, suggested creating a unified European army (that included Germany) and that would “pool human and material components under a single political and military European authority.”

“The French Government believed that, if the coal and steel plan succeeded, people would become more used to the idea of a European Community before the extremely delicate issue of common defence was approached.”....

“A European army cannot be created simply placing national military units side by side, since, in practice, this would merely mask a coalition of the old sort. Tasks that can be tackled only in common must be matched by common institutions. A united European army, made up of forces from the various European nations must, as far as possible, pool all of its human and material components under a single political and military European authority.”

See Text of Pleven Plan:“Statement by René Pleven on the establishment of a European army (24 October 1950)", European Navigator, The history of a united Europe on the internet

http://www.ena.lu/statement_rene_pleven_establishment_european_army_24_october_1950-02-16904

See also;

Chronicle, October 24, 1950Nato archive, http://www.nato.int/archives/1st5years/appendices/1.htm,


While the concept of a common European defence force was formalised in Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union that became effective 1 December 2009, in October 2006, Kurt Beck, leader of the Social Democrats called “for a European army with a single command, the first time a German political party has proposed such a structure. If adopted, it could lead to the European Union pursuing a security and defense policy independent of NATO.”

“German proposes a European army”, International Herald Tribune, New York Times, Judy Dempsey, October 6, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/06/world/europe/06iht-germany.3420282.html

NATO's 12 founding members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the US.

Today most of the 28 members of NATO - with the exception of the US, Canada, Albania, Croatia, Norway and Turkey - are also members of the European Union.

Note that in 2000, Former Nato Secretary-General George Robertson strongly cautioned against a single European army undermining the North Atlantic alliance:

"Those who talk about some single European army with a European Union cap badge and some common European uniform are simply turning the truth on its head.

"Frankly, if it were to undermine or endanger the North Atlantic alliance, I as the secretary-general of Nato would have nothing to do it," he said.”

“EU ministers approve army plan, BBC”, 20 November, 2000

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1032162.stm

In March 2007 German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Bild newspaper “We need to get closer to a common army for Europe."

In February 2009 The Telegraph reported that German MEP Karl von Wagen drafted a plan to set up a "Synchronised Armed Forces Europe", or Safe, as a first step towards a true European military force, developing “co-operation between national armed forces so that they become increasingly synchronised.”

“Geoffrey Van Orden MEP, the Conservative European defence spokesman, warned that British ministers are "in denial".

“He said: "They are sleepwalking towards a European army and seem to have little awareness of what is going on." “

“Blueprint for EU army to be agreed”, Telegraph.co.uk, Bruno Waterfield, 18 Feb 2009 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/4689736/Blueprint-for-EU-army-to-be-agreed.html

The article reported Hans-Gert Poettering, the European Parliament's President as saying:

"Safe can broaden the debate on the right steps towards closer synchronisation, bringing in those people who cannot yet conceive of a European army."

In November 2009, Franco Frattini, the Italian Foreign Minister told The Times it was a "necessary objective to have a European army."

While also suggesting joint naval patrols in the Mediterranean, he asked “Why not form a common force? This would also bring economic benefits, because the countries involved would share the costs of military engagement overseas."

See:

“Italy's Foreign Minister says post-Lisbon EU needs a European Army”,

Richard Owen, November 17, 2009

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6917652.ece

Ostensibly as part of austerity measures, in 2010 France and Britain signed a 50 year defense agreement including sharing troops, aircraft carriers and nuclear testing facilities.

However, the agreement caused concern regarding Britain's ability to conduct independent operations, including that by decommissioning flagship HMS Ark Royal, and the Harriers it carried, Britain will not have its own aircraft carrier capable of launching fixed wing aircraft from sea until 2020 when a replacement is due to become operational.

According to the Telegraph, “Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, a former shadow defence secretary, told BBC Radio 4's World at One:

"Defence co-operation with other countries is a vital part of what modern states do and I thoroughly approve of us talking to the French about that.

"We need to recognise that France has never and is never likely to share the same strategic priorities as the UK.

"There is a long track-record of duplicity on the French part. When it comes to dealing with allies, we should never be under any illusion. The French act in what they see as their strategic interests."

Mr Jenkin questioned whether France would make an aircraft carrier available for an operation like the relief of the Falklands,

and warned that the US might "cut off" intelligence co-operation with the UK if it appeared secrets were being shared with Paris.”

"David Cameron hails 'new chapter' in Britain-France military co-operation", The Telegraph, James Kirkup, 2 Nov 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/defence/8105006/UK-France-defence-David-Cameron-hails-new-military-co-operation-between-Britain-and-France.html

In 2010 German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle called for the EU to proceed with plans for a European army under the Lisbon Treaty.

“His remarks at the annual Munich Security Conference followed a call by Berlin’s defence minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg to end what he called Nato’s “absurd” practice of unanimous decision-making.

The article in the Irish Times quoted Mr Westerwelle as saying:

“The long-term goal is to build up a European army under parliamentary control. The EU has to live up to political expectations of its role as a global player.” ...

Germany’s top diplomat received backing for his plan from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who called for a “single European military-political space” in which no one country’s security was sacrificed for another.”

“German minister calls for Lisbon treaty”, EU army", The Irish Times, Derek Scally, February 8, 2010

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0208/1224263954855.html

With so many of the European countries having dual membership of NATO and the EU, when Russia begins operating fully with Europe, the influence of the US in NATO could be greatly reduced. If it has been stated that Britain is “sleepwalking towards a European army”, rather than waking up to a “nightmare” scenario when it is too late, it should also be realised that when once Russia is allied with Europe, including Germany, such an army could well come under the control of a future dictatorial Russian military command.

Europe is growing in influence and power and Russia together with Germany, will begin to assume a leading role in world affairs, at the same time the US and UK see their own roles diminishing.

The warnings given to ancient Israel of what would happen if they forgot and forsook God and His Laws summarized as love of God and neighbour were often unheeded. These include prohibitions against idolatry, murder, adultery, covetousness and going after other gods and their customs. (Jer 16:11,12)

When ancient Israel provoked God to anger by their actions, He brought increasing punishments on them as He pleaded with them to return to Him. Though He offered them the opportunity to turn from their ways, and would not bring the punishments on them if they did, when they refused or ignored the warnings, He finally allowed them to be delivered into captivity to their enemies.

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. (Jer 18:7-10)

If history repeats itself, as it does when its lessons are ignored or forgotten, then Lev 26, Deut 28, Deut 32 are just some chapters of the Old Testament that give a stark warning of what could happen in the future to modern nations, who like ancient Israel, professed to follow God, but then forgot and forsook Him and His Laws and followed after other gods and their customs.

http://www.globalpolitician.com/26700-russia-europe