German to lead EU force

Brussels - A German general has been chosen to head the EU's new military staff running its proposed rapid reaction force for…

Brussels - A German general has been chosen to head the EU's new military staff running its proposed rapid reaction force for future crisis management, diplomatic sources said yesterday. They said Lieut-Gen Klaus Schuwirth was chosen this week by representatives of the 15 EU member states in a meeting of their interim military committee. It was an indicative vote with no legal force, but Lieut-Gen Schuwirth was expected to be endorsed formally in coming weeks and officially named to the post, they said.

He would become the first Director of Military Staff in permanent headquarters planned by the EU.