Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

During each European Union Presidency one formal and one informal meeting of Defence Ministers is held. There is no separate Defence Ministers Council within the EU Council of Ministers. The formal meetings are held in Brussels or Luxembourg at the invitation of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, and the informal one in the country holding the Presidency.

Since 9 March 2011 there have been four formal meetings and five informal meetings of Defence Ministers. Unfortunately, due to other commitments, my colleague, the Minister for Defence, was only able to attend two of the formal meetings and two of the informal meetings. The Minister was represented at the other meetings by the Secretary General or the defence policy director of his Department. The Minister, Deputy Shatter, chaired the informal meeting of Defence Ministers in Dublin on 12 and 13 February 2013 on behalf of Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy-Vice-President of the European Commission. Ministers discussed a range of issues, including the upcoming European Council on Defence, Mali, the Horn of Africa and partnerships between the EU and the United Nations.

Ministers also had the benefit of the presence of the Secretary General of NATO and the under-secretary general in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Herve Ladsous, representing the UN for the first time at an EU Defence Ministers meeting. In relation to the European Council on Defence in December, Ministers agreed that this forum would provide them with the opportunity to increase the effectiveness, visibility and impact of Common Security and Defence Policy.

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Ministers had a detailed exchange of views in relation to Mali and received a briefing from the mission commander, Brigadier General Francois Lecointre. The broad consensus arising from the meeting was that this mission will impact greatly on the prevention of terrorism in the region and safeguard Europe and its citizens in the future.

With regard to the agenda item concerning operations, Ministers received a briefing from Brigadier General Gerald Ahern of the Irish Defence Forces, who is the current mission commander for the EU training mission in Somalia. Also, Rear Admiral Robert Tarrant, the newly appointed operation commander, gave an update on EUNAVFOR Atalanta. Ministers congratulated the commanders on the progress that all are making in their respective missions.

Partnerships, in particular, between the EU and the United Nations were the final item for discussion. This is a priority in the defence area during the Irish Presidency and this discussion was a natural successor to a very successful seminar held recently in Dublin Castle on the subject of regional organisations support for the UN. This topic afforded EU Ministers of Defence, Mr. Ladsous, Under-Secretary General, Department of Peacekeeping Operations in the United Nations and NATO Secretary General Rasmussen the opportunity to discuss how to foster more effective co-operation and build partnerships in order to enhance the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations.

The meeting of Defence Ministers was important in enabling member states shape the evolution of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, both strategically and operationally. There was great enthusiasm and commitment from all member states to work together on issues of concern at both national and international level.

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