Intervention de Madame le Ministre de la Defense lors de la seconde session du IISS Gulf
Dialogue, le samedi 3 decembre 2005, Bahrein
"GULF SECURITY: FRANCE'S AND EUROPE'S CONTRIBUTIONS"
Ministers, Ambassadors,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Let me first express my warmest gratitude to Dr John Chipman, director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, for having invited me to talk here. The "Gulf Dialogue" meeting in Bahrein is now traditional. My presence here is a token of the importance granted by France to this part of the world.
At the heart of two areas that are critical in terms of stability — Middle-East and Central Asia — the Gulf is a true crossroads of civilisations. It is also a crossroads of economic and security concerns in the world.
It possesses unequalled energy riches. Simultaneously, it is an area that suffers from tensions and imbalances. From Iraq's stabilisation to the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including coexistence between Arabs and Persians, Sunnites and Shiites, or the touchy balance between larger and smaller countries, all these elements are impeding its stability.
Now, to many eyes, the Gulf seems to be an exclusive preserve of the United States in terms of security. The energy and strategic stakes of the area are essential to Washington's eyes: stabilising Iraq, dissuading Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and "protecting" the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The massive American military presence demonstrates the durable priority granted to this area.
Today, in these conditions, what specific contribution can France and Europe bring to the security of this area?
In my view, Europe can bring a very significant contribution: first because it already is a significant player in the area (1); and also because, we Europeans think we are in a position to bring an innovative contribution to stabilizing the Gulf (2):
I. Europe is already an important player in the area
1) Through their geography, their history, their culture, France, the United Kingdom and Europe have been, in fact, long-time essential partners of the Gulf countries. Europe has maintained cultural and scientific links with the countries of the area, including Iran. Numerous students, originating from these countries, are studying in European universities. Countries like Italy, Greece or France have recently witnessed a clear increase of the number of Gulf countries students. They come, in particular, from Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The Institute of Political Science in Menton, in the South of France, has become a crossroads for the Gulf students. Simultaneously, a branch of La Sorbonne was recently opened in Abu-Dhabi, bearing in mind the idea of opening a French speaking university, which I am very glad about.
On the other hand, the European Union is the Gulf's first trade partner. European companies are operating in as varied fields as telecommunications, electronics, energy or finance.
- In the fields of defence and security, France and the United Kingdom each have defence and significant security relations with numerous Gulf countries: defence agreements, military presence, equipment-related cooperation. France, for instance, has signed defence agreements with Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
France is leading large-scale exercises with the armed forces of the Emirates. It maintains a military presence in Qatar, and is also the first provider of military equipment for both countries.
Our ships regularly put in at Bahrain and in Oman, where our cooperation is also improving in terms of equipment.
France also maintains a strong and increasing relation with Saudi Arabia, in terms of military cooperation as well as equipment.
- Europe – more precisely Germany, the United Kingdom and France – is coordinating the efforts by the international community in the touchy field of how to handle the Iranian nuclear issue. Today, the European troika is expecting the Iranian authorities to honour their commitment not to develop their nuclear installations with a military purpose. This is a very significant concern and responsibility for the Europeans. Europe is therefore already playing a major part in the Gulf’s security.
II — Europe can be innovative in the stabilisation process.
The European proposals may intervene on various accounts:
- First of all, the European Union is a model of reconciliation and cooperation. France and Germany often confronted each other in the past. Today, their very close relation is an illustration of how close two countries can become after having been adversaries.
The Gulf is certainly not Europe. However, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) may be used as a reference to establish regional confidence-building measures that would be likely to result in an inter-states cooperation process. The OSCE, which was created in 1975, gathers 55 members. Its role is to anticipate conflicts and follow up regional crises.
In the Gulf, the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)] is already a cooperation structure in the economic field, in the home security and intelligence field, in counter-terrorism or counter-drug-trafficking. Yemen has been an associated country for one year. And when Iraq is stabilised, it will be in its interest to join such a regional security structure.
The Europeans' experience and expertise can therefore be useful to tread down this path.
- besides, in case of a crisis, European Defence has developed a range of tools:
Ø The Battlegroups 1500 make it possible to deploy 1,500 troops in less than 15 days on a theatre of operations. 20 States have already committed themselves to create such Battlegroups.
Ø The European Gendarmerie Force will be launched officially at the beginning of the year 2006: it will make it possible to cover every aspect of public security missions during the various phases of a crisis.
- Through training institutions like the European Security and Defence College, we are also establishing a common European strategic culture.
To intervene in case of a crisis, or to participate in training officers, the European Union can therefore be an interesting partner for the Gulf.
3) lastly, Europe has begun establishing regional cooperation mechanisms beyond its borders, which could be inspirational:
- Recamp is a mechanism that is set up to provide military assistance to African countries in the fields of education, training and equipment. It should become a new cooperation element between the EU and the African Union.
- The so-called "5 + 5" (Five Plus Five) security dialogue in the Western Mediterranean gathers five South European countries and the five states of the Arab Maghreb concerned by the terrorism, security or even illegal immigration issues.
As far as the Gulf is concerned, I think that these examples of regional cooperation could bring about a joint operation between the EU and the GCC. I do believe that it would be useful to go deeper into the already extensive dialogue existing between both our organisations, and complement it with a strategic aspect. It would make it possible to:
- exchange views on common interest security issues
- consider cooperation in terms of expertise, training, and even common exercises later.
I am sure that time has come to get to a higher stage of our cooperation.
Conclusion
Every area in the world will have to wonder about the way to better assume their responsibilities in taking charge of their own security.
In this field, one can see that cooperation structures between states of a same area are proliferating: the African Union, the Shanghai Group in Central Asia, the East Asia strategic dialogue...
It is therefore logical that the Gulf area, which is rich in history and potentialities, is also wondering about the advantages of a regional security structure.
Indeed, its characteristics will make this a gradual process — like it was in Europe, by the way — so as to overcome the suspicions inherited from the past.
But a multipolar world is developing rapidly. Europe is a political player which is establishing itself in the security field and is enjoying a real experience. It can offer useful cooperation tools to partners in the area.
I do believe that it is high time for the European countries and the Gulf neighbouring countries to reinforce their cooperation in this field, in order to contribute together to the stability of this area which is vital for the world.
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' en francais : CCEAG : Conseil Economique des Etats Arabes du Golfe
