/pub/history/military/a-weu/documents File: 1361arep.cou 1361AREP.COU 1361 - 2nd part of the 38th annual report of the WEU Council Document 1361 19th April 1993 Second part of the thirty-eighth annual report of the Council to the Assembly (1st July to 31st December 1992) ________ TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= I. Introduction II. Situation in former Yugoslavia III. Contacts with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe IV. Activities of the Council V. Activities of the Special Working Group (SWG) VI. Activities of the Defence Representatives Group VII. Activities of the Mediterranean sub-group VIII. Activities of the ad hoc sub-group on Space IX. Activities of the Agency for the Control of Armaments (ACA) X. Activities of the WEU Institute for Security Studies XI. Administrative questions XII. Activities of the Public Administration Committee (PAC) ANNEXES ======= 1. Communique of the Extraordinary Council of Ministers, London, 28th August 1992 (see Document 1327, Volume III, December 1992) 2. Communique of the Council of Ministers, Rome, 20th November 1992 (see Document 1345, Volume III, December 1992) 3. Declaration on former Yugoslavia - Council of Ministers, Rome, 20th November 1992 (see Document 1345, Volume III, December 1992) 4. Minutes agreed in connection with the document on associate membership at the WEU Ministerial Council on 20th November 1992 in Rome (see Document 1351 Addendum, Volume III, December 1992) 5. Declaration on WEU observers - Council of Ministers, Rome, 20th November 1992 (see Document 1348, Volume III, December 1992) 6. Presidency declarations extracted from summaries of discussions between WEU and the three other European member states of the Atlantic Alliance -Council of Ministers, Rome, 20th November 1992 (see Document 1351 Addendum, Volume III, December 1992) 7. Agreement between Western European Union (WEU) and the Kingdom of Spain regarding the concession of a site situated on the Torrejon airbase (Madrid) and a building located thereon to be used as the seat of Western European Union (WEU) satellite centre, signed in Paris on 1st December 1992 I. Introduction =============== The second half of 1992 was marked by the Ministerial Council of 20th November at which a number of major decisions were taken pursuant to the objectives laid down in the declarations made by WEU Ministers in Maastricht and at Petersberg. These decisions - on enlargement, the development of WEU's operational role, the transfer of the Council and Secretariat General to Brussels in January 1993, practical measures concerning relations with the European Union and with the organs of the Atlantic Alliance and, lastly, on the dialogue with third countries - illustrated just how far WEU has enhanced the European defence identity since the Rome Declaration in October 1984 at which the basic guidelines for the organisation's reactivation were set. In that sense, the Rome Ministerial Council may be considered as having been the starting point for a reactivation which has been an undeniable success in the process of building a European Union. WEU's enlargement to a tenth member - Greece, - to two observers - Denmark and Ireland - means that its European dimension is complete and carries forward the process of convergence between the main body responsible for European intergovernmental co-operation on security and defence and the Twelve. In a way, therefore, the obstacle which the Genscher-Colombo proposals encountered all those years ago has been overcome. The European integration process now has a security and defence dimension without which it would have been incomplete. Enlargement also, through an association arrangement, to three European members of the Atlantic Alliance who are not members of the European Community, likewise brings a true dimension to the European pillar of NATO. It opens up the prospect for increased cohesion among Europeans within a revamped alliance. It gives them the possibility to prepare joint positions with a view to their introduction, in a spirit of openness, into the alliance's politico- military consultation process. These positions, formulated with due regard to the obligations arising from the North Atlantic Treaty, will be compatible with the decisions taken within the alliance framework. On the basis of this fundamental compatibility, the organs of WEU and the alliance will co-operate under flexible arrangements and in accordance with the twofold principle of complementarity and transparency, plus the necessary reciprocity. The development of WEU's operational role with the aim of building it up as the future defence component of the European Union and enabling it to make an effective contribution to humanitarian assistance missions, peace-keeping and peace-making and hence to the promotion of international peace and stability has continued with the following results: - an examination of questions regarding the creation of military units answerable to WEU; - the establishment of the WEU Planning Cell on 1st October 1992; - a decision favouring the transfer of IEPG functions to WEU; - alterations, with a view to fitting out the Torrejon building for the WEU Satellite Centre. The consultations on arms control and disarmament continued within WEU as did work on the practical arrangements in the field of verification and the implementation of the Open Skies Treaty. Lastly, Ministers decided to continue the dialogue with the countries of Central Europe, principally within the Forum of Consultation, and gradually to establish a dialogue with the Maghreb countries. 1992 was the last year of activity of the Permanent Council and the Secretariat-General in London, where they had been for over 25 years. On 16th December 1992, on the occasion of its last meeting in Belgravia, the Council expressed its gratitude to Her Majesty's Governments for their hospitality and very effective support. II. Situation in former Yugoslavia ================================== The Permanent Council was regularly briefed by the United Kingdom Permanent Representative, in his capacity as Chairman-in-Office, on the European Community's mediation efforts and diplomatic initiatives in the face of a steadily worsening situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina. On 10th July 1992 in Helsinki, in the margins of the CSCE Summit, WEU Ministers took two decisions: to implement the monitoring operations in the Adriatic in co-ordination with NATO and to step up humanitarian aid. The United Nations Secretary-General and the CSCE Chairman-in-Office were informed of these decisions. With the situation worsening in Bosnia-Herzegovina and new resolutions being passed by the United Nations Security Council, the Ministerial Council - on the initiative of the Council Presidency - met on 28th August 1992 in London to demonstrate Europe's resolve and to adopt a position on the contribution it could make in three areas: humanitarian aid, monitoring of heavy weapons and implementation of the embargo. Following the Ministerial meeting on 28th August, the Chairman-in- Office, Mr. Colombo, wrote to the United Nations Secretary-General to inform him of the decisions taken by the WEU Ministers and to apprise him of WEU's plans flowing from those decisions for the escort of humanitarian convoys and the monitoring of heavy weapons, and to enclose a list of contributions which WEU member states were prepared to make to the United Nations humanitarian operations. The results of the planning carried out within WEU were also forwarded to the NATO Secretary-General and the plans relating to the monitoring of heavy weapons were sent to the Chairman-in-Office of the CSCE. The CSCE ad hoc Group met on 4th September to consider the question of the monitoring of heavy weapons and heard a statement given by a WEU delegation made up of representatives of the Presidency and the Secretariat concerning WEU's plans in this connection. In the final months of the year, the work of the Contingency Planning Group continued under the auspices of the ad hoc Group. Each group met ten times under Italian chairmanship. Among the topics discussed were: - the preparation of the Ministerial decision on 20th November concerning the implementation of the Sharp Fence operation to monitor the embargo in the Adriatic; - monitoring the conduct of the naval operation; - at the request of Ministers, made on 20th November, a study of the possibilities of setting up of "safe areas for humanitarian purposes" (UNSCR 787); - possible control of the no-fly zone; - examination of what assistance might possibly be given to riparian states to enforce sanctions on the Danube. III. Contacts with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe =============================================================== On 14th October in London, the first meeting of the Forum of Consultation took place, bringing together members of the Permanent Council and the eight heads of the diplomatic missions in London of the countries of Central Europe. The purpose of this meeting was first to inform the latter of WEU's activities regarding the former Yugoslavia and the progress made in implementing the Maastricht and Petersberg declarations. Thereafter, participants put their views on how they saw their relations developing within the Forum of Consultation and commented on the future agenda. Participants also discussed ways and means of carrying forward the work of the CSCE Forum for Security Co-operation in the wake of the adoption of the Helsinki Document. They raised the prospect of interaction between the CSCE and the main European and transatlantic organisations. Some participants called for the establishment of an ad hoc mechanism to address emergency situations which might arise and the development of co-operation on arms procurement and conversion and peace-keeping or peace-making operations. The representatives of the Baltic states drew attention to the continued presence of foreign troops on the territory of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. They made it clear that this situation, which was contrary to the wishes of the peoples concerned and of their governments, was a threat to stability in the region and they called for the final withdrawal of all these troops by 3rd August 1993. Between 30th November and 2nd December, the London embassies of the eight countries of Central Europe were briefed on the outcome of the Ministerial Council in Rome. The Institute for Security Studies will continue to play a key role in contacts between WEU and the countries of Central Europe both by organising seminars and by welcoming holders of research grants. IV. Activities of the Council ============================== Apart from those meetings where circumstances dictated that a specific subject be addressed, the Council's agendas have continued to contain an item devoted to the report on working group meetings and an item on topical questions. The Permanent Council has paid particular attention to the work of preparing draft decisions for submission to the Ministerial Council and to their implementation once adopted. The Council has been kept directly informed of the activities of the WEU Institute for Security Studies, of the establishment of the Satellite Centre in Torrejon, and of the establishment of an advance party for the Planning Cell and its installation in Brussels. It continued to acknowledge the vital importance of the institutional dialogue with the Assembly and followed with great interest the debates of the second part of the thirty-eighth ordinary session. Lastly, the Council took a number of administrative and budgetary decisions, as appropriate, on the basis of opinions submitted by the Budget and Organisation Committee. 1. Topical questions (i) The Council was kept regularly informed of developments in Yugoslavia (cf. item III of this report). (ii) The Council also monitored the main events in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Russian Federation. (iii) The Council continued to follow the work being done by the CSCE. It was represented at the Helsinki Summit, in the margins of which a WEU Ministerial meeting was held on 10th July 1992. (iv) The Council was kept informed of the results of meetings of the EC's ad hoc group on security questions. 2. Activities of the intergovernmental organs (i) Council working groups At each of its meetings, the Council took note of the results of its working groups' activities since the previous meeting. The summary records were discussed as necessary. (ii) WEU Institute for Security Studies (ISS) The Institute's Director attended all those Council meetings where the agenda warranted his presence. The Institute's quarterly reports to the Council provided an opportunity for exchanges of view on the current work of the ISS. 3. Relations between WEU and the other European member states of the European Union or the Atlantic Alliance With the backing of its working group, the Council held regular exchanges of view on this twofold topic i.e. the enlargement of WEU and practical measures concerning co-operation between WEU, the European institutions and the Atlantic Alliance. The Enlarged Council on 10th November 1992 took note of the fact that since the texts of the draft protocol of accession and of the declaration on observers had been adopted by the Nine and the countries concerned, discussions between the Nine and the three other European Community countries came to an end on 6th November. That same day, the draft texts on association were again discussed with the three other European member countries of the Atlantic Alliance. These discussions culminated in the adoption of the draft document on associate membership, the draft minutes in connection therewith and the draft Presidency declaration made on the occasion of the discussions between the Nine and the countries applying for associate membership. The Permanent Council was thus able to draw great satisfaction from having concluded in under four months - and six weeks ahead of schedule - the WEU enlargement process announced by the Maastricht Declaration, a process which had been set in train on 16th July 1992 in Rome by a meeting of permanent representatives, political directors and defence ministry representatives. V. Activities of the Special Working Group =========================================== The Special Working Group's main task during the period under review was to conduct the discussion sessions with the countries applying for membership or observer status and with the countries applying for associate membership. These sessions were conducted in parallel with the aim of reaching simultaneous decisions at the Ministerial meeting in Rome. The group drafted a protocol of accession of the Hellenic Republic to WEU, a document on WEU associate membership and a declaration on WEU observers, having first discussed the content and legal implications. The group continued its discussions on developing WEU's relations with the countries of Central Europe, thus paving the way for the first meeting of the Forum of Consultation. It also carried forward its work on a global approach to relations with third countries. A discussion document was submitted to Ministers, who took due note on 20th November. The group discussed informal contacts by the WEU Presidency in the context of the CSCE Forum for Security Co-operation. The group had a number of exchanges of view on the question of global protection against limited missile strikes (GPS). The group also turned its attention to the politico-military aspects of designating and setting up military units answerable to WEU. At the Council's request, it considered problems associated with implementing proposals made in the Franco-German Memorandum on the creation of a European corps. The group prepared two interim reports on the transfer to WEU of certain Eurogroup and IEPG functions. The group's meetings also provided an opportunity to consider the organisation of WEU's work in Brussels, the discussions focusing on how it would operate in times of crisis. Under topical questions, finally, the group monitored developments in Yugoslavia and discussed the possibilities for co-ordinating member states' contributions to humanitarian operations in Somalia. VI. Activities of the Defence Representatives Group ==================================================== (i) The DRG's work, on the other hand, was taken up with an examination of the reports on meetings of the Ad Hoc Group on Yugoslavia and reports drawn up by the Groups of Experts in this connection. (ii) The DRG played a decisive role in implementing the practical arrangements arising from Council decisions on the Planning Cell. Pending the time when a suitable building became available, it was decided to set up an advance party consisting of senior officers who would be available in Brussels from 1st October 1992. This team was given the task of organising work on the Planning Cell's internal structure, defining tasks and building up the personnel establishment. To this end, the Belgian Government made available premises in the Institut Royal Superieur de Defense. The DRG prepared all the Council's decisions in all their various aspects, namely personnel, budget, equipment, etc. In this connection, a number of experts meetings were needed, particularly on communications requirements and computer equipment. Preliminary consideration was given to the priorities to be set for the generic planning work of the Cell based on the tasks set out in the Petersberg Declaration. The Planning Cell's terms of reference stipulate that the Council will issue to the Planning Cell general directives concerning planning options and priorities, taking account of the views of the CHODs at their meetings held under WEU auspices and in consultation with military delegates of member countries. As regards the military units answerable to WEU, the group examined ways and means by which units could be assigned to WEU in times of crisis. It also considered the choice of headquarters and the organisation of headquarters staff. At the same time, the group gave consideration to WEU's structure in times of crisis. The group was apprised of the proposal for co-operation between the air and naval forces of WEU member states, initially formulated by the Spanish, French and Italian Defence Ministers with the aim of developing the proposal with the participation of all the member countries. The practical outcome of this proposal was a European pre-planned air-maritime force ready to carry out missions which might be assigned to it by WEU. The group prepared the agenda for the CHODs meeting on 16th October 1992. Taking as its basis the contribution from the Italian Presidency, the group drew up a preliminary report on the consequences for European security of the military changes taking place in the former Soviet Union. This report was updated several times in the light of comments by delegations. The group monitored the ongoing discussions on the possible incorporation of the IEPG within WEU. Following up the report submitted to Ministers on 20th November, the Permanent Council tasked the DRG with evaluating the activities of Eurogroup with a view to preparing joint WEU positions prior to the establishment of a joint WEU/Eurogroup working group. (iii) The verification experts continued their work on active and passive inspections in the implementation of the CFE Treaty and also their work on the opening of national inspection teams. The experts studied the initial activities of the multinational inspection teams as well as the application of the set of rules for these teams. The formation of multinational inspection teams with the participation of inspectors from countries of Central and Eastern Europe was discussed in depth. Also discussed was the training of CFE inspectors. (iv) The Open Skies Experts Group had, by the end of the year, passed the stage of preparing a feasibility study. Its activities were now centred on the establishment of an aircraft pool based on the number of aircraft actually available. VII. The Mediterranean Sub-Group ================================= The Mediterranean Sub-Group held four meetings between July and December 1992. The situation in the former Yugoslavia figured prominently in the sub-group's exchanges of view and discussions. Given the work being done by the Special Working Group and the ad hoc Group on Yugoslavia during this period, however, this sub-group turned its attention to an analysis of the possible repercussions of a spread of the conflict in the Balkans. It based its work on a document drawn up, at its request, by the Secretariat, which identified where the conflict might spread and the international crisis scenarios likely to result. Having been revised and adopted by the sub-group, the document was forwarded to the WEU Council and then to the competent bodies of the alliance and European Political Co-operation. It has been regularly updated. At the request of the SWG, the sub-group also addressed the situation in Kosovo and Macedonia on the basis of a text drawn up by the Presidency; it contained concrete suggestions for action to deal with possible crisis scenarios. The operative part of this document, converted into a sub-group document, was submitted to both the SWG and the Council. At Petersberg, the WEU Ministerial Council mandated the group "to establish a gradual and phased dialogue with the Maghreb countries, taking into account the political developments both in these countries and in the region". The sub-group agreed on a first phase involving a number of exploratory demarches with the London embassies of the countries concerned. The Presidency and Secretariat-General duly initiated this dialogue and the demarches met with a positive response. The sub-group considered it appropriate to resume these contacts in Brussels and to continue the preliminary dialogue initiated with these countries following the transfer of the Permanent Council to the Belgian capital. The sub-group finished drafting and updating the section of the document on security in the Maghreb entitled "Spread of weapons and military risks", on the basis of Spanish, French, German and Italian contributions. This document was forwarded to the WEU Council. The sub-group also had preliminary discussions on the possibility of a study on the "dissemination of Islamic fundamentalism and its implications for security in the Mediterranean region" on the basis of a consolidated document on the problem prepared by the WEU Institute for Security Studies. At each of its meetings, and in keeping with the usual practice, the sub-group exchanged views informally on various topical questions including developments in the Western Sahara, Algeria, Cyprus and Albania. VIII. Activities of the ad hoc Sub-Group on Space ================================================== The sub-group's meetings were mainly devoted to following progress with the setting up of the Satellite Centre on the site and in the building provided by the Spanish Government at the Torrejon airbase near Madrid. The agreement relating to this concession was signed on 1st December 1992 in Paris by H.E. Mr. Felipe de la Morena, Spanish Permanent Representative to the WEU Council, Ambassador to the Court of St James's and Dr. Willem van Eekelen, Secretary- General of WEU (cf. text of this agreement annexed to this report). As part of the invitation to tender procedure, the group examined and compared bids submitted by competing consortia to supply equipment for the Centre. The decision to accept the offer by the MARCOL consortium was taken by the Ministerial Council on 20th November. The group took stock of the progress of the medium and long-term studies on the main system feasibility and benefit assessment. Proposals for special studies were also discussed. IX. Activities of the Agency for the Control of Armaments (ACA) ================================================================ The Agency for the Control of Armaments continued its residual tasks as regards the limitation of atomic, biological and chemical weapons, at a level of activity corresponding to that obtaining at the time of the 1984 Rome Declaration and in accordance with the procedures approved up to that time. As regards atomic weapons, the ACA did not carry out any controls. As regards biological weapons, all member states decided to renew the current list of biological weapons subject to control. As in previous years, the ACA did not carry out any controls in this field. In the field of chemical weapons, all the member states notified the Agency of their agreement to renew the current list of equipment and chemical products (chemical weapons) subject to control. In accordance with the usual procedure, the Agency asked the member states if there had been any effective production of chemical weapons on their mainland territory. All member states replied in the negative. No country reported that it held chemical weapons on the mainland of Europe. In accordance with the usual procedure, four chemical factories were inspected as part of the "controls on the non-production of chemical weapons". In no case did the ACA find any evidence that the undertaking not to manufacture chemical weapons was being breached. For 1992, the thirty-seventh year of controls carried out by the ACA, the legal sources used to justify the levels and control procedures were unchanged. The ACA continued to monitor the activities of the Geneva Disarmament Conference, especially work on the negotiations on a convention to ban chemical weapons which culminated in the signing in Paris of a Convention in mid-January 1993. X. Activities of the WEU Institute for Security Studies ======================================================== A seminar on problems of European security in the 1990s was organised jointly with the Polish Institute of International Affairs and held at Pultusk, Poland. A seminar was jointly organised in Rhodes on 17th-19th September with the Hellenic Foundation for Defence and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), Athens, on security challenges in South-Eastern Europe. A seminar on security and co-operation in the Western Mediterranean was organised in Madrid with the Centro Espanol de Relaciones Internacionales. A small working group was convened to discuss a paper on the security problems of Hungary and of its minorities in neighbouring countries by Dr. George Schoepflin of the London School of Economics. A further meeting of the task force on Russia and the CIS was held. Dr. Dieter Mahncke of the German Ministry of Defence spent three months as a Visiting Fellow at the Institute. Four guest Fellows (from France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) spent some time at the Institute. A number of study awards were made to Central and East Europeans to visit West European institutes. Chaillot Paper No. 4, Algeria: adversaries in search of uncertain compromises, by Remy Leveau, was published in September, and Chaillot Paper No. 5, European integration and nuclear deterrence after the Cold War, by Roberto Zadra, was published in November. The Quarterly Newsletter was published in July and October. XI. Administrative questions ============================= During the second half of the year, the Council Working Group, assisted by the Secretariat-General, continued its work of selecting a building which would meet the current and future requirements of the Council Secretariat and the Planning Cell. The Council finally chose a building located at 4, rue de la Regence, 1000 Brussels. Once this decision had been taken, practical preparations for the transfer were put in hand. All these measures were taken to enable the Planning Cell and the Secretariat gradually to move into the new building from the first week of January 1993. XII. Activities of the Public Administration Committee (PAC) ============================================================= The Public Administration Committee (PAC) met in London at the WEU Council's Headquarters on 8th and 9th October 1992. This meeting provided an opportunity to carry forward the discussion on the future of the Committee and of its open and informal meetings which facilitate the regular exchange of information on public administration in the WEU member countries. The report on this meeting may be consulted at the Assembly Secretariat. ------- For information, please contact: Yves ROBINS, Press Counsellor _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ | ASSEMBLY OF WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | 43, avenue du President Wilson _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ | F-75775 Paris cedex 16 France _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ | Tel 331-47235432; Fax 331-47204543 _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/ | E-mail: 100315.240@Compuserve.com