N° 22 mars 2022 The inter-ministerial meeting held on January 13 in Brest was a prelude to Macron's speech on January 19 before the Strasbourg Parliament which announced the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council.
He gave his vision of Europe, warned against attacks on the rule of law and underlined the need to "everywhere re-convince the peoples who have moved away from it"! Integration of the right to abortion and environmental protection in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, but above all "new security order" with NATO against Russia, reform of the Schengen area, “digital revolution”… the French president unfolded his priorities for a Europe with “the means to decide itself on its future”. Not the future of the peoples but of capital and multinationals. The objective is clear: to intensify a war policy as a means of imposing oneself in the fierce competition between the capitalist monopolies throughout the world.
The first EU inter-ministerial meeting in Brest was held in this context. The 27 Ministers of Defense and 27 Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union on defense and security issues under the chairmanship of Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy with this summit’s agenda:
• Draw up the main lines of the “strategic compass”, also called “White Paper on Defense for the European Union”. No official decision can be taken which will define the priorities of the Member States for the coming years.
1- The situation in Mali and the tensions around Ukraine: were at the center of the discussions of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Mali: At the end of December, already 15 Western countries “condemned the deployment of Wagner Group fighters in Mali and accused Moscow of providing them with material support”. Budgetary aid to the Malian authorities has been suspended. Within Europe, France is the main force involved, being "militarily present in Mali for nine years to fight against the jihadists" Le Figaro swears...but with a total of 2,500 French soldiers prepositioned above all to guarantee the interests of multinationals such as Areva, among others, which operates one of the largest uranium deposits in the world containing 275,000 tonnes of ore and is aiming for a production of 5 000 tons of uranium for 35 years. …
Ukraine: they want to fix the role of the EU and reject the accusations of a back seat position in the resolution of the crisis. We are in perfect agreement with the United States, says the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell in essence: "It is understood that nothing concerning the security and stability of Europe will be done without us". “Despite what has been said in recent days, we are indeed in constant contact with the United States. The EU is absolutely not left out. On the contrary, we continuously participate in the discussions through our relationship with the United States." In fact the EU is treated by the US as what it is: a second-rate imperialist power that is not able to impose strategic choices. The choice of the EU is to remain in a position of subordination within NATO, despite the warmongering words of the French Minister of Defense. "As Europeans, we are ready to assume our responsibilities and to impose massive consequences on Russia," said Florence Parly.
2- The Europeans are trying to assert their geopolitical unity on several issues, in particular vis-à-vis Russia and China.
The adequate response to Beijing is also under discussion. “European Union foreign ministers will decide whether to support Lithuania in its fight against China.”Lithuania has strengthened its ties with Taiwan and suffered a trade offensive from China:“French, German and American products containing Lithuanian parts have been blocked by the Chinese authorities”, reports an American media.
3 "The Principle of a Rapid Reaction Force"
At the Brest meeting the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell was optimistic on the subject of a rapid intervention force of 5,000 men. He promises a rapid implementation of this military intervention force.
“The Europe of defense must be a Europe that assumes responsibility. Who has the freedom to protect its citizens and safeguard its interests,(those of capital) declared Florence Parly, the French minister at the opening of the summit.
4- the establishment of a maritime military presence.
The ministers discussed the problems of access and use of common strategic spaces, which are the subject of ever more intense competition between imperialists in the field of outer-space, airspace and sea. French Minister Florence Parly reiterated the need to develop a more comprehensive coordinated maritime presence, to support the deployment of armed forces in the Gulf of Guinea and called for intervention in the northwest Indian Ocean.
5- A defense summit in March 2022,
It will be organized by the French Presidency of the European Union "The time has come for Europe to step up a gear" to "defend itself against cyberattacks, act where NATO and the UN are not present and manage crises in time",declares Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, clearly an offensive "stopgap" of the USA.
Within the EU, the monopolies and the States, struggle to assert their position in the competition between capitalists within Europe and internationally for the control of markets, communication channels, access to raw materials and labor power. This is reflected in defense: the European combat aircraft of the future (FCAS) is bogged down in rivalries between industrialists and great powers; Germany is leaning towards the choice of US F35s to re-equip its aviation, leaving on the sidelines the FCAS (Future Combat Air System), 80 billion euros European project.
6- Further integration of the European Union into NATO:
1 a) To apply the military program imposed by NATO, the USA wants to accelerate the deployment in Europe of the new B61-12 nuclear bombs and the new medium-range nuclear missiles towards its designated enemies: Russia and China.
2 b) They have to increase the European Defense Fund and national military budgets as requested by NATO. "Member states must also do more," warned Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Thus for France credits for the "Defence" mission will increase again by 1.7 billion euros to reach 40.9 billion euros in 2022, an increase of +4.3% compared to 2021 and in total, the cumulative 2019-2025 budget increases should amount to 15.8 billion euros. 10.8 billion euros will be devoted to the "Preparation and employment of forces". 1.2 billion will finance the additional costs of external operations and external missions!
Our Party fights against imperialism, demands the withdrawal of France from NATO, this armed wing of the great capitalist powers under the leadership of the United States, whose expenditure amounts to 1051 billion dollars 778 for the USA and 273 for the EU, that is more than 50% of world expenditure, compared to China 185 billion dollars, for Russia the expenditure amounts to 61.7 billion dollars. We refuse to get drawn into a future imperialist conflict that will be waged against the peoples. We aim to ensure the sovereignty and independence of France and fight to free France from capitalist domination. The objective of capital is clear: to develop a policy of war as a means of imposing itself in the fierce competition between the capitalist monopolies of the world.
This over-armament policy can only lead to disaster, can only be fought through the struggle of the peoples against war and the political struggle to open up a revolutionary perspective and advance towards the construction of a socialist society. Our presidential candidate Louis Daniel Gourmelen proposes:
* Respect for the sovereignty of the peoples of each country in all areas, against any supranational instrument such as the single currency (the Euro), against any political or military organization, or supranational government.
* Close cooperation between European countries in all areas. Cooperation that stimulates real economic and social development in the interest of their peoples, mutually beneficial agreements that ensure the development of each Nation, which respect the sovereignty of each people, its social and democratic achievements.
* That a real policy of peace be established, develop peaceful cooperation.
* For a worldwide disarmament policy, with the dissolution of NATO and all military pacts.