IRELAND "is ready to make a continuing contribution to strengthening the international community's conflict prevention and crisis management capabilities" the Tanaiste has told ministers of the Western European Union (WEU).
The 10 state WEU, meeting in Birmingham with 17 other European nations as observers, partners or associates, agreed procedures to involve neutral observer countries such as Ireland in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, so called "Petersberg tasks", on a case by case basis.
The move marks a symbolic step towards giving the EU an operational military arm, albeit still very much semi detached.
Diplomats were surprised, however, that one of the neutrals has shown a willingness to go a step farther and sign up fully with the WEU. They quoted the Austrian Foreign Minister, Mr Wolfgang Schussel, as saying he "did not rule out" Austria applying for full membership in the "near future".
If it did, it would mark a may or change in Austrian policy, leaving Ireland, Sweden and Finland as neutrals. All three have recently reiterated their unwillingness to subscribe to the key WEU Article 5 commitment to defend fellow members if attacked.
The WEU also backed proposals yesterday to give the organisation more operational teeth with the setting up of a "situation centre" in Brussels and the development of combined joint task forces to share Nato assets.
The speech by the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs defined European security in terms of new challenges that ranged from organised crime to drug smuggling and pollution. Mr Spring stressed the importance of reinforcing the co operation between regional and transatlantic security and political organisations.
Welcoming the decision to allow observers a role in missions, Mr Spring said he believed Ireland's experience in UN peacekeeping, particularly recently in Unifil, would enable it to make a valuable contribution.
He emphasised the WEU's approach to security must be based on a number of key principles
. A comprehensive and multifaceted approach to security challenges, both diplomatic as well as military
. An increased emphasis on early warning and preventive diplomacy
. An ability to respond quickly as well as being able to develop strategies for post conflict situations
. "Clear and achievable mandates tailored to the specifics of the crisis in question must be set whenever deployment of troops is authorised"
. Legitimacy provided through decisions of the UN or the OSCE Mutually reinforcing co operation between the agencies involved in An ability to draw on the varied experience and resources of member states.
In this context, he said, Ireland had indicated its willingness, in the context of the reform of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy structures, to participate in Petersberg tasks carried out by the WEU on the EU's behalf.
Mr Spring also welcomed a recent joint Swedish Finnish initiative which rules out full integration of the WEU with the EU.
Yesterday's meeting passed with little difficulty, all the participants having accepted there was no point in further talk of a merger at present. The British Defence Secretary, Mr Michael Portillo, reiterated Britain's opposition "We are very happy for a closer relationship to develop between the EU and the WEU. What we don't want to see is it being taken over by the EU."
However, the WEU secretary general, Mr Jose Cutileiro, said the French decision to move closer to its European allies would help define the organisation's role by ending suspicions that the WEU could rival Nato.
In an important initiative to ease Russian fears of Nato expansionism to the east, the German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, called for the urgent signing of security pacts with Russia and Ukraine. Proposals should be put to both countries before the summer, he said.
The proposal, first aired last year at the Caracassonne EU foreign ministers' meeting, would complement the economic and political ties the EU was forging with Russia. "The network of stability and security in Europe needs to be tightened and widened," Mr Kinkel told the WEU meeting.
He said the move should be backed up by increased co-operation on security in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the east west forum involved in crisis management throughout the former Soviet Union, and between the WEU and Russia.
Ukraine, wary of being trapped between an expanded Nato to the west and Russia to the north and east, should be offered a similar package, Mr Kinkel said.
And in a firm rebuke to the EU Commissioner for External Affairs, Mr Hans Van den Broek, the French Foreign Minister, Mr Herve de Charette, denounced as "irresponsible" suggestions that, Europe should take over the running of the Ifor peacekeeping operation in from the US at the end of the year.
With Bosnia preparing for multi ethnic elections in the autumn, now was not the time to start speculating on the withdrawal of the Nato force, he added.
"In any case, these matters are for the (Nato) Atlantic council and not the European Commission or the EU. Everyone should do their own job and the cows will be well looked after," he said.
Fianna Fail refrained last night from commenting on the Tanaiste's statement, saying the party would be seeking clarification in the Dail in the coming week on the Government's position on WEU.
