Italy is to push for the creation of a European Army after the "new Europe"
takes shape at this week's crucial EU summit following the adoption of the
Lisbon Treaty.
Franco Frattini, the Italian Foreign Minister, said that the Lisbon Treaty had
established "that if some countries want to enter into reinforced
co-operation between themselves they can do so". This was already the
case with the euro and the Schengen accords on frontier-free travel, and
could now be applied to "common European defence".
In an interview with The Times at his office in the monumental
marble-halled Foreign Ministry on the banks of the Tiber, Mr Frattini said: "We
have finally concluded a never-ending story". The Lisbon Treaty, which
comes into force in December, will be sealed on Thursday with an EU summit
to choose an EU President and Foreign Minister.
He warned that "if we do not find a common foreign policy, there is the
risk that Europe will become irrelevant. We will be bypassed by the G2 of
America and China, which is to say the Pacific axis, and the Atlantic axis
will be forgotten. We need political will and commitment, otherwise the
people of Europe will be disillusioned and disappointed. People expect a
great deal of us. After Lisbon we have no more alibis".
It was a "necessary objective to have a European army", Mr Frattini
said. "Take Afghanistan: at present President Obama asks Poland, or
Italy, or Great Britain for more troops. If there were a European army, he
would have a 'toolbox' to draw from. He might need 30 aeroplanes: he would
be able to ask if the European army was in a position to provide them."
Mr Frattini said that at present "every country duplicates its forces,
each of us puts armoured cars, men, tanks, planes, into Afghanistan. If
there were a European army, Italy could send planes, France could send
tanks, Britain could send armoured cars, and in this way we would optimise
the use of our resources. Perhaps we won't get there immediately, but that
is the idea of a European army".
Asked how differing national equipment and systems could be integrated, Mr
Frattini said Afghanistan had already shown the way. "There are no
problems in current crisis areas. We work well together in Afghanistan. In
the province of Herat, we Italians work with the Spanish. Why not form a
common force? This would also bring economic benefits, because the countries
involved would share the costs of military engagement overseas."
Mr Frattini suggested that "some European countries" such as France
were not pulling their weight in Afghanistan. "Italy is already doing
quite a lot: we have 3,200 men deployed, plus a contingent of 400 men for
the elections who should now be able to return home. We send most officers
after the United States to train the Afghan police and army, and we have
abolished the caveats limiting the deployment of our troops, in return for
more intelligence sharing."
He noted that Britain had suffered greater losses in Afghanistan than Italy, "but
then the death of even one soldier is a tragedy. Even in the most difficult
moments, such as the recent death of six Italian soldiers in Kabul, Italy
has remained united in supporting the mission".
There was also a case for joint naval patrols in the Mediterranean, Mr
Frattini said. "Europe could deploy a joint naval fleet or air force in
the Mediterranean: why not? We could say, look, one group of nations is
ready at once, and leave the door open for others to join, as with the euro."
Mr Frattini predicted that if David Cameron and the Conservatives came to
power in Britain next year, they too would understand "that if we pool
our forces in Afghanistan that is better than going it alone, that if we
want to work for a common market without customs barriers that is better
than putting the barriers back again, that if we have a problem with China —
and with all due respect to the United Kingdom, China is a little bigger
than Britain — it is much better if Europe negotiates with China as a whole. "
Asked about Mr Cameron's proposal for a law protecting British national
sovereignty, Mr Frattini replied that national sovereignty was "already
protected. I believe that when you are in government you understand the
advantages of Europe — perhaps even the advantages of Schengen",
he added with a chuckle. "When you are in opposition you say important
things, but when you are in government things change. When you are in
government you understand that Europe is an opportunity."
Mr Frattini acknowledged that in the past the centre-right Government of
Silvio Berlusconi had backed Tony Blair for EU President "because he is
an important political leader". It had also made clear however that the
successful candidate "must have a broad consensus. The Swedish Prime
Minister, who will chair the summit this week, has said we will take a vote
if necessary. But that would be a bad first step. It would not a be a good
start for the Lisbon Treaty."
He said the signs were that the European Centre Right would get the Presidency
and the Centre Left the Foreign Minister post — in which case the best
candidate for the latter post was Massimo D'Alema, the former centre-left
Prime Minister. "I say this for an objective reason, because of his
abilities, and secondly because Italy will obviously support an Italian
candidate. It is a question of national interest."
Mr Frattini said that post-Lisbon Europe was "obliged" to formulate
common policies on economic growth, including investment and infrastructure,
the fight against organised crime and illegal immigration, and "energy
security". The most difficult task however was to reach a common policy
on international issues such as the Balkans, Iran, the Middle East — where
Europe had "not achieved any great results" so far — and future
enlargement, including Turkey. "Europe is divided about Turkey: France
and Germany unfortunately still take a negative view, whereas Italy and
Great Britain are in favour, while other countries are uncertain."
Mr Frattini said that he also hoped for a common approach on illegal
immigration, for which Italy had "paid a high price", with Europe
failing to come to its aid as would-be migrants drowned at sea. The last EU
summit had agreed to set up a European Agency for asylum seekers and
refugees, with "common criteria for repatriation", and was
committed to following Italy in concluding an agreement with Libya. "At
the moment there is a kind of 'asylum shopping' because each country has
different rules."
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