(B2) Addressing French diplomats, gathered at the Élysée during the traditional back-to-school week, Emmanuel Macron laid down a new milestone in European defense on Monday (August 27), promising a new initiative aimed at revising European security architecture and to give the European solidarity clause (Article 42-7 of the Treaty) a more independent follow-up
Emmanuel Macron speaking to French ambassadors. (Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
This ritual exercise is often an opportunity for the President of the Republic to outline the main lines of international and European diplomacy, or even to launch a few trial balloons. Emmanuel Macron has not failed in tradition, even presenting a new initiative in terms of European defence.
A project to strengthen European security
Emmanuel Macron has thus announced that he will present« in the coming months a project that would be based on Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, in terms of mutual assistance and security, in order to make it more independent of the sole guarantee of the USA.
“France is ready to enter into a concrete discussion between European states on the nature of the reciprocal bonds of solidarity and mutual defense implied by our commitments under the terms of the treaty. Europe can no longer leave its security to the United States alone. It is up to us today to assume our responsibilities and guarantee European security and therefore European sovereignty. »
Review security architecture
Without questioning NATO, the French president is however campaigning for a revision of the European defense and security architecture which takes advantage of both the new fields of confrontation, whether technological (cyber, space ...) or territorial (polar zones) but also of the need to find new grounds for dialogue in the area of disarmament or territorial conflict.
“We must draw all the consequences from the end of the cold war. Alliances still have all their relevance today, but the balances, sometimes the automatisms, on which they were built are to be revisited. And that also supposes for Europe to draw all the consequences. This reinforced solidarity will involve revisiting the European defense and security architecture. On the one hand, by initiating a renewed dialogue on cyber-security, chemical weapons, conventional armaments, territorial conflicts, space security or the protection of polar areas, particularly with Russia. »
A reflection that must extend to Russia
These issues should not remain confined within the framework of the European Union but extend to all European partners. at large including "Russia", expressly named. The President is thus in a way following in the footsteps of the 2008 Medvedev proposal to review the security architecture dating from the Cold War and the Helsinki agreements dating from the Cold War (1).
“I would like us to launch an exhaustive reflection on these subjects with all of our European partners in the broad sense, and therefore with Russia. Substantial progress towards the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as respect for the OSCE framework – I am thinking in particular of the situation of the observers in the Donbass – will of course be prerequisites for real progress with Moscow. But that should not prevent us from working as of now between Europeans. I count on you for that. »
Comment: another initiative
We can say to ourselves 'another initiative' in terms of defence. Between the European defense fund, the permanent structured cooperation desired by Paris and Berlin, the European peace facility designed by Federica Mogherini, the European intervention initiative announced by the same Emmanuel Macron a year ago, the number of initiatives in this sector is appreciable. However, this proposal differs from previous ones in its high-level political aspect. It is not only operational and even limited to defense issues. She aims further...
A Europe-Russia architecture
In hollow, Emmanuel Macron shares the point of view of Donald Trump: NATO born of the cold war is obsolete to face all the conflicts. But it differs on the consequences: the Atlantic Alliance must remain within its framework, but it must be backed by another security architecture. Now, it will probably be necessary to know the details of the proposal. The few sentences stated during the conference of ambassadors are not enough to define the contours of the initiative: is it a new treaty, a new doctrine, a new flexible structure (to implement the principle of solidarity). To know more, it will probably be necessary to wait for the explanations of the Elysée, but also to appreciate the returns from European countries, from Berlin or from the countries of the East in particular, and above all to observe carefully the response from Moscow. Because it is the essential interest of the initiative: to extend a hand to Russia, in terms of European security.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde and Leonor Hubaut)
Other topics covered
Libya. The Head of State insisted on the French will to support " the organization of elections in December in Libya ". " Our role, for our security and that of the region, is to succeed in advancing the Paris agreement decided last May. “The next few months will be” decisive ". " I believe very deeply in the restoration of Libyan sovereignty and the unity of the country, it is an essential component of the stabilization of the region. »
Africa. In general, the French president pointed to the importance of Africa, which " is not only our interlocutor to talk about the crises that affect it, it is first of all our ally to invent the great balances of the world ».
Migration. On the migration crisis, Emmanuel Macron was optimistic to obtain a " European and collective solution », for a mechanism « sustainable " in the coming months.
Mediterranean Summit. Emmanuel Macron announced the holding of a summit on the Mediterranean " at the beginning of summer 2019 ” in Marseilles, for “ find the thread of a Mediterranean policy".
Syria. « The lasting solution to this conflict is political. We are at the moment of truth, before the last months of the conflict. " Emmanuel Macron warns of the threat of a " new humanitarian crisis in the Idlib region ". He calls for continued pressure on Bashar al-Assad's allies, Russia and Turkey.
No accession of Turkey in the EU. Emmanuel Macron recalls that Ankara's accession to the EU is not possible. He considers President Erdogan's project " pan-Islamic and [which] goes against our European values”. As an alternative, he proposes building a strategic partnership.
Reform the EU. The French President also reaffirmed his desire to reform the European Union and once again advocated " a Europe of several circles” with “strengthened cooperation and stronger integration between certain countries.
Rethinking multilateralism. « Those who believed in a globalized people were wrong, there is a return of the psyche at the national level. It is the sign of differentiated globalization to meet all needs. It therefore needs to be rethought. He calls in particular for the reform of international organizations, such as the G7, the WTO or the ILO.
Offer an alternative to populism. The president calls for carrying a clear line: that of a desire for European sovereignty, to say how Europe can provide an answer to all our challenges. Europe must become this power which will bring solutions to our problems. »
