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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000228 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2025 
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL EUN
SUBJECT: EU DECLARES U.S. A KEY SECURITY AND DEFENSE PARTNER 
 
BRUSSELS 00000228  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Political M-C Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and ( 
d). 
 
¶1.  (C/NF)  Summary:  EU Political and Security Committee 
(PSC) ambassadors recently approved a policy paper on EU 
defense and security relations with non-EU countries, which 
singles out the United States as an indispensable partner, 
according to French Pol-Mil Counselor Thomas Bertin 
(protect).  Bertin said the paper envisions more than U.S. 
participation in EU-led operations and argued that a closer 
bilateral partnership would give the U.S. greater influence 
over EU action while affording the EU the opportunity to 
secure U.S. political and possibly material support for EU 
operations.  Bertin said Paris agrees with the assessment 
in the UK Defense Green Paper that a strong EU Common 
Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) strengthens NATO.  End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------- 
INDISPENSABLE PARTNER 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C/NF)  During a February 12 meeting, Thomas Bertin 
(protect), Pol-Mil Counselor in the French Permanent 
Representation, told PolOff that EU Political and Security 
Committee (PSC) ambassadors had recently approved a paper 
on EU relations with non-EU countries in the context of the 
Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).  Bertin said the 
paper singles out the United States as an indispensable 
partner, a point France supported strongly in the PSC.  The 
EU recognizes that wherever it is engaged, the United 
States will have an interest.  Comment:  We are unaware of 
any plans to approve this paper at a higher level, but will 
ask 
our interlocutors to pass us a copy through the U.S.-EU 
Security of Classified Information Agreement so we can 
discuss it 
with the EU as a whole.  End Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
PARTNERSHIP BIGGER THAN PARTICIPATION IN MISSIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3.  (C/NF)  Bertin said the U.S.-EU partnership on CSDP 
should 
go beyond U.S. participation in EU-led operations.  In this 
context, he called attention to the potential partnership 
between the U.S. and the EU to train Somali security 
forces.  Such collaboration would not involve U.S. 
participation in the EU's training mission, but would 
nonetheless be a tangible form of cooperation, with the 
U.S. and EU providing separate but coordinated support 
to a Ugandan-led training program.  At the same time, 
the EU welcomes U.S. participation in EU-led missions, 
such as in Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 
 
¶4.  (C/NF)  In countries where both NATO and the EU are 
engaged, he suggested that U.S. military cooperation with 
the EU take place via NATO.  However, he noted that in many 
cases, NATO is not engaged in countries or regions where 
the EU is leading operations.  In these cases, as in 
Somalia or the Democratic Republic of Congo, bilateral 
cooperation makes more sense. 
 
¶5.  (C/NF)  Bertin opined that the EU should have shared and 
discussed its planning documents for the 2008-2009 Chad 
operation with the United States.  He said he thought that 
sharing such documents would give the U.S. additional 
influence over the EU operation, but would help the EU 
secure political and even material support from the U.S. 
 
------------------------------ 
A STRONG CSDP STRENGTHENS NATO 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (C/NF)  PolOff referred to a recently released UK Green 
Paper on defense (septel), which argues that a strong CSDP 
strengthens NATO, and asked if France shares this 
perspective.  Bertin said Paris agrees for several 
reasons.  First, he said the existence of CSDP puts 
additional pressure on European countries to improve their 
military capabilities, which are ultimately available for 
either organization.  Secondly, he said NATO cannot be 
 
BRUSSELS 00000228  002 OF 002 
 
 
engaged everywhere.  He said no one doubts that NATO is the 
appropriate organization to undertake a mission like 
Afghanistan.  However, the EU can undertake other, often 
lower-intensity missions that require a different toolkit. 
He said these kinds of missions often take place in Africa, 
though he added that he was not suggesting that NATO and 
the EU should divide their labor along geographic lines. 
 
¶7.  (C/NF)  Bertin recommended including language in NATO's 
summit communique explicitly stating that a strong CSDP 
strengthens NATO.  He said such language would go beyond 
previous statements, which have simply "recognized the 
importance of a stronger and more capable European 
defense."  (Comment:  It was not clear to us that Bertin 
was expressing a national position on this subject, but our 
past experience has been that he works from clear guidance 
from Paris and is careful to specify when he is not 
speaking under instructions.  End Comment.) 
 
¶8.  (C/NF)  Bertin made these observations while saying that 
Paris wants both NATO and the EU to be strong.  He noted 
that just three years ago, France's attitude towards NATO 
was "ambiguous," but that France now supports the Alliance 
fully.  Comment:  Paris's approach suggests we can work with 
France and other Allies to, along the lines of the recent UK 
Green Paper's observation, ensure that a viable CSDP 
supports a strong NATO.  End Comment. 
 
KENNARD 
.