BETA

38 Amendments of Tobias PFLÜGER related to 2008/2197(INI)

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas ~~the EU and NATO are founded on shared values such as freedom, democracy, human rights~~all military alliances such as NATO are by their nature exclusive and therefore create front lines between members and non-members, and twhe ~~rule of law, and throughout their existence have well served the cause of peace~~reas every effort to strengthen them increases the potential for international conflicts,

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas ~~NATO is~~although NATO is currently the forum for discussion and the expected choice for a military operation involving the European and American Allies, the ultimate responsibility for peace and security lies with the United Nations,

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas ~~NATO as a whole i~~military alliances npot engaged in ESDP operations; whereas the EU, in undertaking such an operation, will choose whether or not to have recourse to NATO assets and capabilities, through the so-called "Berlin plus arrangements"tially increase the potential for international conflict, and every effort to strengthen NATO via improved NATO-EU cooperation or by enlarging the alliance is counterproductive; whereas, instead, the best contribution to peace and security would be to find ways to dissolve NATO as soon as possible,

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas EU and NATO cooperation that falls under the framework of the "Berlin plus arrangement" has been working satisfactorily up until now, as demonstrated in the case of Bosnia, from NATO SFOR to EUFOR Althea,deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas outside the "Berlin plus arrangements", NATO and the EU should ensure efficient crisis management and should work better together in order to identify the best possible response to a crisis, such as in Afghanistan and in Kosovo,deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas EU-NATO relations could be further improved by both organisations, with the EU involving the European non- EU NATO Allies further in ESDP and NATO involving the non-NATO EU Member States further in EU-NATO talks; whereas EU-US relations should be strengthened in order to further consolidate the existence of democratic freedoms,deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

~~J. whereas NATO and the EU enlargement process should be mutually reinforcing and coordinated in order to secure stability and prosperity in the European continent,~~deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas an important element of the EU-NATO relationship is support for national efforts to develop and deliver military capabilities for crisis management in a mutually reinforcing way, which for its part enhances the primary task of safeguarding the territorial defence and security interests of memberthe ongoing operations in Kosovo (by KFOR) and Afghanistan underscore the impossibility of resolving conflicts by means of military intervention, and whereas NATO should refrain from using force in order to intervene in third countries,

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

~~L. whereas synergy between the EU and NATO in certain military capabilities areas could be improved through joint pilot projects,~~deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

M. whereas our collective defence is based on a combination of conventional and nuclear forces adapted over the years to correspond to a rapidly changing environment; whereas the ultimate guarantor of military security for the Allies is the strategic nuclear forces of the Allianceas long as nuclear weapons exist, there will always be the danger that conflicts could escalate into atomic war,

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Underlines that the raison d'être of the European Union is to build peace; notes that an ineffective security~~Is concerned about the report entitled “Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World", written by former senior military officials of the Alliance such as Klaus Naumann, which calls for a "first strike" using nuclear weapons, even against non-nuclear strate~~gy or security policy leads to unnecessary human suffering~~s; is worried that senior European official Robert Cooper has endorsed this idea; proposes that nuclear "first strikes" should not be part of the Alliance’s military strategy;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Therefore calls on the EU to extend the missions of the European Security and Defence Policy so as to prevent conflicts, promote stability and bring relief to where it is needed, subject to a common consensus between EU Member StaIs concerned about the decision at the NATO summit in Bucharest to accelerate plans to build up a NATO missile defence system; regards the planned missile system as an offensive and not a defensive system, because it would make a counter- strike impossible; understands the reasons why Russia feels threatened by the plans in that regard; proposes the abandonment of plans to build up such a costly and potentially seriously destabilising systesm;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Recognises that the diversity of interests inherent in a Union of 27 or more Member States – in other words, the mosaic-like composition of the EU – gives it a unique character and the potential to intervene, mediate and help in different parts of the world, unlike any other major power; hopes that the existing military capability of the EU will develop into a credible force enabling the Union to exploit its unique abilities in the fields of conflict prevention and conflict resolution and complementing its broad range of civilian crisis management mechanisms;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Is convinced that the prospect of Euro- Atlantic integration of democracies is the best guarantor of security and stability across Europe and of respect of the principles of democracy, human rights, the rule of law and good governance;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Despite the current signals of a return to juxtaposition in EU-Russia-US relations, emphasises its view that such a development is not desirable; is convinced that democratic freedoms are the answer to aspirations for people around the world; believes that no country or nation should be excluded from such a vision, because every human being has the right to live in a democracy;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes the updating of the ESS as part of the European Union's commitment to defining and protecting European security interests and thus making it possible to create a strategy for tackling the threats of the 21st century; notes that this strategy can only be fully implemented through a revived EU- NATO cooperation consensus, based on a common approach to security policies, as well as a renewed and common security consensus between the EU and the United States of America, reflecting the common values and goals of these two democracies;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines that this is still more important in the light of recent events in the Caucasus, new developments in the approach to NATO in Europe, the change of leadership in the United States of America and the start of the work on reviewing thee importance of reviewing NATO’s strategic concept; urges all concerned, in light of the problems arising from the recent military interventions, to abstain from operations falling within the ambit of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty; is concerned that the document entitled “Towards a Grand Strategy” proposes the abolition of the consensus principle in nearly all NATO bodies; proposes that this should not form part of the new strategic concept ~~of NATO~~;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Is of the view that both NATO and the ESDP should endorse as their long-term and common goal a commitment to building a safer world, for the inhabitants of their member states and in general, and should also actively prevent and react to mass atrocities and regional conflicts which continue to cause much human suffering; stresses that all those reactions must be adopted in strict accordance with international law; is concerned about the proposals, contained in the document entitled “Towards a Grand Strategy”, to use force without a mandate from the UN Security Council; stresses that this is a flagrant violation of international law;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Insists that all democracies should be united in their efforts to build stability and peace, and thus join with all intergovernmental organisations in promoting these goals; regrets profoundly that the doctrine of non-alignment, inherited from the Cold War era, undermines the alliance of democracies to the benefit of undemocratic and not yet truly democratic powers; regrets that, in the name of a doctrine of non-alignment, certain Member States opted out of the joint responsibility provided for by the solidarity clause contained in the Treaty of Lisbon;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Recognises the fundamental role of NATO, in the past as well as today, in the security architecture of the Europe; notes that for the majority of EU Member States, which are also NATO allies, the Alliance remains the foundation of their collective defence; therefore takes the view that the only meaningful way to organise the future collective defence of the EU is within the Alliance;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Emphasises the increasing importance of the ESDP which will help to improve the EU's ability to confront existing and emerging 21st-century security threats, particularly in joint civilian-military operations and crisis management measures ranging from intelligence- driven crisis prevention actions to security sector reform, reform of the police and judiciary and military action;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is of the view that the EU and NATO could strengthen each other by avoiding competition and developing greater cooperation based on a combined spectrum of action, with each covering parts of the spectrum that the other cannot presently cover, which will also help make savings;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that the Berlin plus arrangements, which have been useful up until now, need to be improved in order to allow the two organisations to effectively deliver relief in current crises which demand a multi-task civilian-military response; regards it as necessary, therefore, to further develop the existing relationship between NATO and the EU, making them ever more integrated, reducing duplication and creating permanent joint structures of cooperation, while respecting the independent nature of both organisations;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Strongly welcomes the French initiative of a formal return to the military structures of NATO, and the efforts by the French Presidency within the EU Council to further bring the EU and NATO together as a response to the new security challenges; welcomes the efforts of the French Presidency aimed at the adoption of concrete initiatives for the pooling of EU and NATO defence capabilities; also welcomes the positive approach of the United States of America towards the consolidation of EU defence capabilities;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Urges the member states of both organisations to be more flexible, goal- oriented and pragmatic in the implementation of the EU-NATO partnership; therefore asks the member states of both organisations to empower the EU Council and the NAC to implement the partnership more effectively, especially through the ability to have technical arrangements when and where needed, given the need to deliver in circumstances where the EU and NATO operate side by side in different missions towards the same common purpose in the same theatre, as in Kosovo and Afghanistan;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Notes that EU citizens support missions aimed at alleviating human suffering in conflict zones; notes that citizens are insufficiently informed about EU and NATO missions and their purpose; therefore calls on the EU and NATO to better inform people of their missions;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Proposes the establishment of an EU Operational Headquarters in the vicinity of the main EU institutions, under the authority of the Secretary-General of the Council/High Representative; is of the view that such a structure could function as the "reactive arm" of the future High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty, and that the future European External Action Service could function as his/her "prevention arm";deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Underlines that the experience of EU operations demonstrates that the lack of a permanent planning and command capability for EU operations has become a capability shortfall limiting the effectiveness and credibility of EU operations; emphasises that the proposed EU Operational Headquarters provides the solution to this problem; recalls that, given the civilian-military focus of the EU, such a structure would not duplicate anything that exists elsewhere; further recalls that the NATO Headquarters is primarily intended for military planning whereas the EU possesses expertise in planning and conducting both civilian and joint civilian-military operations which no other global actor is currently able to conduct successfully;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Stresses that an EU Operational Headquarters would complement the current NATO command structures and should not in any case lead to the creation of an EU caucus inside the NAC which could further undermine NATO's transatlantic integrity; is of the view that development of the EU and NATO should not under any circumstances lead to any degree of disintegration in the Alliance and that an adequate level of international credibility must be maintained;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Is of the view that the mutual challenge for the EU and NATO is to make use of the same national pool of resources in terms of personnel and capabilities; calls on the Member States to empower the Council and the NAC to ensure that these limited resources are spent on the most appropriate capabilities for facing the difficult challenges of today, avoiding duplication of work and fostering coherence; is of the view that strategic airlift, a particular example of a relatively scarce and expensive operational asset, should represent an opportunity for cooperation between the EU and NATO;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is of the view that, in addition to the need for more efficient use of military resources, the need for more investment in defence at Member State level is essential in order to support the efforts to build effective EU-NATO cooperation and action; notes that the United States called on European NATO members during the NATO Bucharest Summit to increase their defence investments so as to support both NATO and EU operations; notes also the significant difference in numbers, as well as in effectiveness of defence spending, between European members of NATO and the U.S.; calls on the EU to commit itself to fairer global burden- sharinglight of the current financial crisis, it is not possible to further increase military spending, and that, instead, funds must be re-allocated and switched from defence to measures to stimulate the economy, in order to cope with this crisis;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Insists that all the EU Member States must be present at the joint EU-NATO meetings without discrimination, even though there might on some occasions be disputes between Member States over certain issues; stresses that unity in terms of values and security arrangements is a vital factor guaranteeing European peace, stability and prosperity;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Proposes that those NATO Allies that are candidate for EU accession should at this point at least be given the status of Associate Members of the European Defence Agency, and that they should thereafter should be further, more thoroughly and more permanently involved in ESDP in the spirit of being likely future members;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Notes that it is essential that the problem of the compatibility between non- membership of the EU and membership of NATO, as well as non-membership of NATO and membership of the EU, be addressed and tackled so as not to harm the functioning of EU NATO cooperation;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Notes that it is essential for the future of EU-NATO cooperation that member states having a different and sometimes divergent tradition as to their views of that relationship should find a common ground and adopt a common vision for the future;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Welcomes the fact that, at the NATO summit held in Bucharest, the Allies recognised the value that a stronger and more capable European defence brings, and that the Alliance reconfirmed its commitment to continue enlargement; regrets that at the same summit the Allies postponed the NATO Membership Action Plan for Georgia and Ukraine, when instead continued support should be given to the democratisation process of Ukraine in the spirit of the Orange Revolution; notes that for many European Neighbourhood Policy countries, and with a view to their democratic development, the open-door policy which stems from the very founding principles of the EU is of the utmost importanceStresses that, especially in the light of the serious crisis with Russia, any further enlargement of NATO, particularly to include Ukraine and Georgia, is irresponsible; considers that this also applies to plans to enlarge the Partnership for Peace programme, which is a vehicle for NATO membership, and to “Global NATO”, the plan to incorporate non- European democracies into the alliance, thereby creating some sort of anti-NATO;

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Is of the view that, should Russia become a free and truly democratic country, an improved cooperation between it and all European, Euro- Atlantic and global structures would be very welcome and should be encouraged; does not exclude the prospect of Russia's membership of such structures one day; therefore invites Russia to return to the path of transforming itself into a true democracy, and to root out all practices of using violence as a means of furthering political goals; notes that, should the EU Member States agree to the bilateral security arrangements recently proposed by Russia, this would not only severely weaken the integrity of the security architecture of the EU but would also drive a wedge into the relationship between the EU and the U.S.;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET

Tobias PFLÜGER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Is of the view that NATO's forthcoming 60th anniversary Summit in Strasbourg and Kehl would offer an excellent opportunity to organise the first ever EU-NATO Summit to be held with a view to revising the nature of the partnership and strengthening its cooperation;deleted

2008/11/26
Committee: AFET