Kirjoitus EP Today -lehdessä; Peace and (tough) love 3.4.2010
EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is only as strong as the Member States let and want it to be. The Commission and the High Representative may plan and implement. Ultimately, however, the Member States are the ones who decide on the CFSP.
Some policy makers and citizens ask for bolder initiatives.
The High Representative Catherine Ashton visited the European Parliament last Tuesday to discuss about the European External Action Service (EEAS). The EEAS will be an important step for the EU’s foreign policy. The stakes are high for both the EU and for Mrs Ashton. What do we want out of the CFSP and — more specifically — what do we want out of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)?
The main problem of the CFSP/CSDP is that it is more reactive than proactive. At the moment the rationale is to build up post-crisis management capabilities. Developing and investing in crisis management capabilities is important. However, building crisis management is not an ambitious enough goal. The EU should invest more in conflict prevention and mediation.
The EEAS should be designed to address and to stop conflicts before their escalation. Building peace is a difficult task but it is the task the EU knows best. The enlargement of the union is the best indicator of that.
It is unfortunate that the EU was not present at the Turkey-Armenia reconciliation negotiations in Switzerland. I believe that with the right resources and with a common political stance the EU could have played a positive role in the reconciliation process.
Building legitimacy for the EU’s foreign and security policy action is another burning issue.
Stronger CFSP/CSDP would make the EU a more legitimate international actor. If planned and implemented well and ambitiously enough, the EEAS could play an essential role in this. The EEAS could significantly enhance EU’s credibility.
Credibility does not come with military capability only. The EU needs to maintain its image as a credible civilian actor as well. The EU could be a smart power actor combining both hard and soft power.
Tough love alone does not suit the EU, nor does it suit Mrs Ashton. Nevertheless, Mrs Ashton should learn to be a little tough with the hard-headed heads of states on her road of becoming a good High Representative. Love does not always come easy.
