Entries for the 'NATO-EU' Category

Just weeks ahead of the NATO summit in Chicago and the G8 summit in Camp David, the Security and Defence Agenda presents an executive summary of the 2012 Security Jam, a unique global brainstorm. The document offers recommendations, from the world’s top military, NGOs, academia and public sector officials on issues such as smart defence, cyber-security, Afghanistan, crisis management and enhanced cooperation, of use in preparations for the summit.

Afghanistan and the U.S. agreed on a long awaited strategic partnership document dealing with the future relationship of the two countries after major troop withdrawals in 2014.

U.S. aerospace and defence companies’ financial performances in 2011 reflect the ongoing Department of Defense budget cuts. According to Deloitte’s recent report "2011 Top 20 U.S. Aerospace and Defense Company Financial Performance Analysis", the general performance of the aerospace and defence industry is to remain sluggish in the near future.

Amid the increasing use of violence by the Syrian government against uprisings, former NATO Secretary General and SDA Co-president Jaap De Hoop Scheffer shared his views on Russia’s shifting stanceon the situation of non-lethal support from the US and Turkey in an interview with Deutsche Welle

U.S. President Barack Obama told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at a nuclear security summit in Seoul yesterday that he had little flexibility to address Russia’s objections to a U.S. missile defence shield during an election year.

The EU members implemented legislation on Saturday banning the sale of technology which “may be used for the monitoring or interception of Internet or telephone communications.”

The UK government might make a U-turn on the ongoing procurement project of the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, which includes the equipment of aircraft carriers with appropriate catapults.

US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron are to agree on an end to the US’ and UK’s “lead combat role” in Afghanistan by mid-2013.

A report by a US congressional advisory panel says China has developed significant cyber-warfare capabilities that can threaten US military forces in a possible conflict over Taiwan.

The United Kingdom is experiencing another debate about its role in the Afghan war after the killing of six British soldiers by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

The announcement of the North Korean regime on Wednesday to suspend its nuclear testing triggered international optimism with regard to nuclear disarmaments negotiations.

According to a report on international arms production by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the world’s 100 largest arms dealers excluding China have sold weapons and military services for $411bn in 2010.

The EU is extending its anti-piracy mission ‘EUNAVFOR Atalanta’ in the Indian Ocean until December 2014.

The need for fresh thinking both from the military and from the wide range of relevant civilian stakeholders is clear to all. And that’s the purpose of the online Security Jam being organised by the Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) and its partners from March 19-23.

Last week’s Koran burning at the NATO base in Afghanistan has triggered a wave of violent protests against Western forces all over the country.

Turkey will buy 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Turkish Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz officially confirmed to reporters of the Turkish daily Milliyet.

In the scope of a meeting with German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta outlined the details of upcoming US troop changes in Europe.

The delays to US defence procurement projects intended to save money within overall spending cuts commitments could raise costs in the long-run, defence experts in Washington D.C. highlighted.

India and Saudi Arabia have decided to set up a joint committee on defence cooperation, as announced on the sidelines of the visit of a high-level delegation of Indian defence policy-makers, led by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, to Riyadh on Tuesday.

In the scope of its Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system, NATO will purchase five US-built Global Hawk drones from Northrop Grumman.

Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola announced today to a joint defence committee of both houses of Parliament that Italy will reduce its order of F-35 by one-third as part of defence spending cuts.

The United Nations (UN) plan to reduce some of their peacekeeping missions to facilitate major budget cuts.

According to a report by the defence select committee of the British Parliament, the UK would struggle to conduct an operation of the dimension of the Libya campaign after the full implementation of the strategic defence and security review.

According to a diplomatic source, NATO is planning to install its missile shield command centre for Europe on the US military base in Ramstein, Germany.

On January 30th 2012, the SDA hosted a high-level policymakers' dinner about public-private cooperation in cyber-security, featuring European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes and NATO Assistant Secretary General Gábor Iklódy.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé announced yesterday that France would not give in to “panic” and pull its troops out of Afghanistan this year after four French soldiers were killed last week.

Pentagon officials announced yesterday that the U.S. defense budget for 2013 will cut military spending by five percent to $525 million, marking the first decrease in the Pentagon’s base budget since Sept. 11.

NATO warships rescued an Iranian vessel twice last week, once from Somali pirates and again, just days later, when the same vessel’s engine broke down.

A Royal Fleet Auxiliary supply ship (RFA), Fort Victoria, thwarted an attempt by Somali pirates to attack cargo ships in the Indian Ocean last Tuesday.

International concerns have been raised over Russian cargo ship possibly carrying ammunition which docked recently at Syrian port Tartus.

Ellen Tauscher, US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security expressed her confidence yesterday, in the up-coming US-Russia ‘strategic stability talks.’

Espen Barth Eide, Norway's Defence Minister told an audience assembled at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, that NATO is losing its self-defence capability.

The United States announced yesterday that it will not adopt the European Union's proposed "code of conduct" for space activity. Ellen Tauscher, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security claimed the current draft is to “restrictive.”

One of the major innovations of the new US Defense Strategic Review is the emphasis on challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the goal to foster progress in the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa.

Officials of EU member states have agreed in principal on an embargo on oil imports from Iran suspected of developing nuclear weapons through its uranium enrichment program.

According to the Pentagon, the military dialogue between the US and Pakistan continues despite recent disputes following the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a US-led airstrike on the Afghan-Pakistani border in November 2011.

The US Air Force (USAF) has temporarily stopped the production of 20 A-29 Super Tucano light turboprop training and attack aircraft for the Afghan Air Force.

On December 7th, the SDA welcomed the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan H.E. Dr. Elmar Mammadyarov for an evening debate.

Only 10 EU member states have so far implemented the EU’s defence procurement directive, as confirmed by the European Commission Directorate General for Internal Market and Services (DG MARKT) yesterday.

On November 7th the SDA along with the CEIS and the KAS hosted the annual Security and Defence Day conference entitled "Re-thinking Europe's security priorities."

NATO is currently collecting bids from international defence contractors to strengthen its cyber-defence capabilities.

US four star general and former commander of NATO’s ISAF mission Gen. Stanley McChrystal will become chairman of the board of Siemens Government Technologies (SGT).

According to a leaked document published by The Guardian, the UK Defence Ministry will undertake major job cuts of its senior staff.

NATO conducted a big cyber-defence exercise to test its technical and operational capabilities last week.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution concerning a stronger harmonisation of European defence policies last week.

The SDA yesterday hosted Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, for a lunch with SDA members to discuss NATO’s priorities for 2012 and objectives for the Chicago summit as well as the SDA’s programme for its 10th anniversary.

The UK is to seek new military alliances and will no longer invest in large-scale military missions, declares Chief of Staff Gen. Sir David Richards in his annual “state of the union” address on December 14th.

The US officially completed the withdrawal of their troops from Iraq in a ceremony in Baghdad yesterday.

Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon have submitted their bids for getting a follow-up contract for the ‘Aegis’ combat system.

The 2012 US defense authorisation bill contains provisions for stricter cost controls for the purchase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

NATO has announced that it will complete its Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) on December 31st 2011, the expiry date of the current mission.

As a direct consequence to a NATO airstrike which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in the Afghan-Pakistani border region in November, the US followed the Pakistani request to vacate Shamsi airbase in the South-western Pakistani province of Baluchistan.

New UK Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond announced yesterday that the agreed increase in spending for military equipment as of 2015 will not be affected by further budget cuts.

A US warship, part of NATO’s counter-piracy mission Operation Ocean Shield off the Horn of Africa, captured a group of pirates in cooperation with a Japanese military aircraft earlier this week.

The White House has announced that it will close possible loopholes for the Pentagon to shift different parts of its budget and circumvent cuts to its base budget as of 2013.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Russia not to waste money on unnecessary measures to counterbalance European missile defence.

Speaking at an SDA debate, H.E. Dr. Elmar Mammadyarov outlined the challenges and opportunities facing his country on the 20th anniversary of its independence.

France will offer military training to the defence forces of the new Libyan regime, as announced by Adm. Edouard Guillaud, Chief of Staff of the French army, after his talks with representatives of the Libyan government.

The Netherlands are aiming to strengthen cooperation with other European countries and play a pioneering role in multinational defence projects.

According to Iranian media, the Iranian military has shot down a US RQ-170 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which had invaded Iranian airspace over the border region with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the weekend.

At their Council meeting last week, EU Foreign Ministers decided to install a Brussels-based EU Civil-Military Operations Centre for the Horn of Africa.

Ten years after the Petersberg Conference, setting the framework for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Bonn is to host another International Afghanistan Conference on Monday.

European defence ministers agreed on a range of projects for pooling defence capabilities at their Brussels meeting on November 30th.

The work of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) will be enhanced by the full membership of the US and Poland.

An amendment to the 2012 defence authorisation bill, approved by the Senate on November 30th, allows for an exchange of different types of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft between the US and the UK.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Gen. Martin Dempsey, new US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned of the consequences of the foreseen spending cuts ($450bn over the next 10 years) on US Army operability.

Russia activated a warning radar system against incoming missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad yesterday.

In a direct reaction to the NATO-led bombing of two Pakistani military posts in the Afghan-Pakistani border region, which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26th, Pakistan asked the US to leave the Shamsi airbase.

Moscow will send its only aircraft carrier, the ‘Admiral Kuznetsov’ to the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria, according to the Russian navy.

According to Stéphane Beemelmans, Secretary of State in the German Ministry of Defence, Germany and France should cooperate on unmanned armed vehicles (UAV) projects.

The Franco-British summit will be dedicated to different aspects of the countries’ defence cooperation at the end of this week.

A US proposal for a new cluster munitions treaty was rejected by member states of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), also known as the ‘Oslo Convention’, an international treaty banning the use of cluster bombs.

Iran said for the first time that it would directly target Turkey and its planned early warning radar for NATO missile defence in case of a Western airstrike on Iranian facilities.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the weekend announced details of the second phase of transition from NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Afghan authorities to be completed by 2014.

In a move resembling early French support for the former Libyan opposition, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé officially recognised the Syrian National Council (SNC) in talks with SNC leader Burhan Ghalioun on November 23rd.

The Austrian army will considerably reduce the number of its armed vehicles by the end of 2013, as announced by Defence Minister Norbert Darabos yesterday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned the US and their NATO allies against continuing their plans for a missile shield for Europe and ignoring Russian concerns.

Following the announcement of a US troop deployment to northern Australia, Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith expressed the country’s willingness to concretely consider plans for trilateral military training of US, Chinese and Australian forces.

Ahead of NATO’s Chicago Summit in May 2012, the Alliance has launched an initiative for concrete pooling of defence resources.

Estonian Defence Minister Mart Laar declared that the EU needs to enhance its cyber-defence capability at the meeting of the Nordic-Baltic defence ministers in Örebrö, Sweden, last week.

In the framework of the East Asia Summit on Bali, the US and Indonesia announced the planned purchase of 24 F-16 fighter aircraft by the Indonesian government.

The announced failure of the so-called US congressional supercommittee will generate a new debate on US defence spending cuts.

The United States and Europe have a long history of sharing information for law enforcement and national security purposes. More recently, with the increase in international travel and security risks, there is a need to share personal data for public safety purposes.

Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, current Chairman of the NATO Military Committee and member of the SDA advisory board, was nominated the new Italian Minister of Defence yesterday.

From 18 November to 6 December this year, the EU will organise and conduct its first crisis management exercise under the Lisbon Treaty.

NATO is pressing Georgia to step up its political and military reforms to enable faster accession into the Alliance. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen praised Georgia’s current reform process and their contributions to the mission in Afghanistan of 900 troops.

At the launch of the SDA’s cyber-security initiative yesterday, a high-ranking panel assembled discussants to tackle the core question of “Defining cyber-security”.

On 9 November 2011, the Security & Defence Agenda launched its cyber-security initiative with a high-level debate on "Defining cyber-security".

Claude-France Arnould, Head of the European Defence Agency, told reporters yesterday that Europe must have its own space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in order to minimise collateral damage and civilian lives during interventions.

NATO jets policing the skies of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia took to the skies on Monday to escort Russian air force planes near the Baltic territory.

Drawing from the experiences of the ongoing eurozone crisis and the Arab uprisings, panellists Jan Borkowski, Polish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Francis Delon, French Secretary General for Defence and National Security, Ivan Soltanovskiy, Director of European Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

President Barack Obama's advisers are debating an accelerated exit strategy out of Afghanistan by withdrawing more troops and diverting resources to advising Afghan security forces.

Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced during his visit to Libya last week that NATO is willing to help Libya reform its defence and security sectors

Washington moved to kick-start reconciliation talks aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan by continuing air and ground strikes against the Haqqani network and the Taliban, with an insistence that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency brings them to the negotiating table.

NATO officials state they will not use the Libya ‘template’ to resolve the violence in Syria asserting that any Syrian mission plan currently lacks international consensus and broader regional support.

According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the US are trying to intensify the deadlocked US-Russian cooperation on missile defence and have invited Russian defence officials to visit the US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) base in Colorado.

The Swedish parliamentary opposition Social Democrats (SDP) heavily criticised the administration of Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeld for its cuts in defence spending, and announced the drafting of their own defence strategy.

Defence contractor Lockheed Martin UK will be awarded the contract for a ₤1bn (1.15bn Euro) upgrade of the British army’s Warrior armoured vehicle, as announced by Prime Minister David Cameron and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.

During a visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton to Beijing on Monday, the EU and China agreed to strengthen their defence cooperation.

The German government is planning to reduce its fighter jet and helicopter orders from the European aerospace company EADS.

The US Department of Defense is going to intensify its strategic efforts in the field of offensive computer warfare and is trying to set up rules of engagement to carry out specific cyber-attacks.

According to top Pentagon officials, the US had considered an offensive cyber-attack on the air defences of Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi before they decided to start bombing Libyan military installations in March 2011.

NATO and EU have started a joint operation of their KFOR and EULEX missions in the border region between Northern Kosovo and Serbia on October 13th.

A recent report by Eurocontrol, a European organisation for the safety of air navigation, demonstrates considerable gaps between the US and European countries in terms of the total number of fighter aircraft and density in military traffic in 2010.

The EUFOR Althea mission to Bosnia will be considerably reduced.

In a move to prevent future terrorist attacks and to consolidate a strategic partnership with India and Afghanistan, India has offered to provide security training to Afghan police forces.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday called for enhanced collaboration between NATO and the European Defence Agency (EDA) amid current economic austerity to avoid duplication of efforts.

NATO formally launched the procurement process for the full operational capability of its cyber-defences on September 20th.

China’s military leadership has massively criticised the latest US-Taiwan $5.9bn arms deal, and threatened that the deal could become a “serious obstacle” to US-China military relations.

Chief of Defence of the Danish Armed Forces General Knud Bartel, was elected by NATO’s 28 Chiefs of Defence as the Alliance’s new Chairman of the Military Committee.

On September 15, the Polish-US missile agreement entered into force, allowing the US to place land-based interceptors on a Polish military base.

US and Pakistani military leaders met on the weekend in an attempt to improve ties between the two countries, which have been strained by the US killing ofAl-Qaeida leader Osama Bin Laden in May 2011.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission will cooperate in the field of research.

German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière arrived yesterday in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, to visit German troops and prepare their gradual pull-out, to be completed by 2014.

On June 29 the Security & Defence Agenda organised an international conference entitled “Shaping NATO’s reform agenda” with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, NATO, Lockheed Martin, IBM, the Atlantic Council and the Euro-Atlantic association of Belgium.

The signing of a US-Romania agreement on missile defence cooperation yesterday renewed Russian concerns about NATO’s ballistic missile defence.

The former UK security adviser Admiral Lord West has warned of shrinking British influence in global affairs due to cuts in the national defence budget.

Russia is seeking to extend its nuclear cooperation with Iran, said Russian energy minister Sergei Shmatko yesterday.

France is preparing a review of its defence strategy for 2012, as explained by Francis Delon, Secretary General for National Defence and Security, on September 6th.

Following the sale of two French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ships to Russia in June 2011, Russian Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov yesterday announced the signing of a contract with France for two more vessels of this type.

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged progress of the US-led troops in Afghanistan in weakening the Taliban, but complained about the insufficient performance of the Afghan government.

The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) General Ari Puheloinen presented concrete plans for Finland’s upcoming defence reform on September 1st.

Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced on September 2nd that Spain and Italy have decided to join an initiative to boost a common EU defence policy.

On September 1st senior officials from 63 countries gathered in Paris for an International Conference on Libya and pledged a continuing support for Libya’s revolution. All nations committed to return frozen assets to the Libyan people.

On August 31, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned of Iran’s attempts to build long-range missiles and nuclear weapons saying it could lead to "the bombing of Iran".

General David Petraeus, father of the counterinsurgency strategy and in Iraq and Afghanistan, yesterday retired from the Army to become the director of the CIA. Admiral Mike Mullen, hosting the ceremony said Petraeus had set the “gold standard for command in wartime”.

Commander of the US Marine Corps Gen. Jim Amos announced a deep restructuring of the force, contributing to the country’s ongoing defence cuts.

Top NATO official in Kosovo Gen. Erhard Buhler announced on August 29 that, due to the lasting violence on the Kosovo-Serbia border since late July following a ban on Serbian goods, NATO-led KFOR troops remain “in the lead to control the border […] at least until the end of September”.

Russia on August 27 successfully tested its new 8000 km range intercontinental nuclear missile on August 27. The Kremlin reported that the Bulava missile was fired from a Russian submarine in the White Sea and successfully hit its target area in the Pacific Ocean.

Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen has denied Finland’s intentions to join NATO due to expected defence cuts.

India’s Strategic Forces Command has announced its plan to test the nuclear-capable Agni-II missile as well as its subsystems by the end of the month in the eastern state of Orissa.

The Pentagon’s spokesperson, Col. Dave Lapan confirmed on August 24 that Libya’s chemical weapons stockpiles are « secure » including 10 tons of mustard gas that Col. Gaddafi was entitled to dispose of after joining the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 2004.

Op-Ed by Giles Merritt

The collapse of the Ghaddafi regime is focusing international attention on the need for peacekeeping in post-conflict Libya. But policymakers should be looking further afield than Libya and considering a new collective security framework for the Maghreb region as a whole. In short another NATO, but this time called the North Africa Treaty Organisation.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereydoun Abbasi said on August 22, the Islamic Republic has started transferring the centrifuges of its Natanz nuclear facility to the Fordo site, the country’s second site for enriching uranium.

As Libyan rebels continue to consolidate their hold on Tripoli, NATO ambassadors met on August 23 to consider post-conflict options for the alliance. NATO’s spokesperson Oana Lungescu stressed that NATO would serve only a supporting role with a stabilisation mission led by the United Nation and the Contact Group.

During a visit to the Royal Air Force Chinook base at Odiham, British Secretary of Defence Liam Fox announced a £1bn deal with Boeing for the delivery of 14 Chinook transport helicopters including development and support for 5 years.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen declared on Monday that the sooner Gadhafi "realizes that he cannot win the battle against his own people, the better." He asserted the Alliance’s presence in Libya and its commitment to protect the people of Libya.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee released a report warning that British forces in Afghanistan and Libya will likely face shortages of vital equipment within a month due to a supply chain at “critical risk of failure”.

Stefan Wallin, Finland’s newly appointed Defence Minister, announced that further defence cuts justify Finland joining NATO. However, Wallin's position has been rejected by military chiefs, who argue that Finland would require a larger defence budget to conform to NATO’s operational and equipment standards.

Yesterday at the Supreme Military Council, the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has worked to tighten government control of the military by choosing loyalist generals to replace the 4 commanders who resigned in protest over the detention of military officials facing conspiracy charges.

North Korea and the US will today start 2 days of talks in New York on issues including Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal. North Korea’s nuclear negotiator and Vice foreign minister Kim Kye Gwab and his US counterpart Stephen Bosworth are expected to discuss possible ways to re-launch six-nation talks on the North abandoning its nuclear weapons. The US State Department remains highly doubtful about the prospects of any concrete progress with Kim Jong-Il’s regime.

On his first trip to Iraq since taking office at the Pentagon on July 1, the new US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta met with several Iraqi leaders to discuss the possibility of an extension of the US mission in the country. The pullout is scheduled to take place by the end of 2011, but top U.S. officials have said that they would consider maintaining some troops beyond the deadline if requested by Iraqi authorities.

On a surprise visit to a military base in the province of Kapisa, French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced France would pull out a quarter of its contingent in Afghanistan by the end of 2012, thereby following the timetable of US withdrawals decided by in June.

In the SDA evening debate, NATO's top civilian official in Kabul Simon Gass stressed the need to build support for the transition among the Afghan population by improving governance and the rule of law. He said the international community needs to reassure Afghans that it won't abandon them after 2014.

Italy’s Minister of Defence Ignazio La Russa has announced the withdrawal of an aircraft carrier from the NATO mission in Libya because of the pressing financial situation. "We have cut back costs in Libya, from a forecast 142 million euros in the first half of the year to less than 60 million euros for the second half,"

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has nominated Ismet Yilmaz as the new Defence Minister. Erdogan’s announcement came after his AKP party won national elections on June 12.

As Poland takes over the EU’s rotating presidency it has announced that EU-NATO cooperation and 'pooling and sharing' will be among its priorities. In a letter to Catherine Ashton, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Poland together with France and Germany called for a need to “improve EU capacities to plan and to conduct operations and to create synergies in times of scarce resources”.

To the mark the final overseas political tour of his office, Robert M. Gates, US Secretary of Defense, addressed a distinguished gathering at the Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) in Brussels on June 10.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has praised Obama’s decision of troop withdrawal, noting that it is "a good step in their favour and in favour of Afghanistan". Taliban met the news with less approval, in declaining that "the solution for the Afghan crisis lies in the full withdrawal of all foreign troops immediately"

The European Parliament and European Commission have reached an agreement to give more decisionmaking freedom to its border agency Frontex. Under the agreement Frontex can “lease its own equipment, such as helicopters and terrain vehicles”, and is thus less dependant on member states assets.

The US Senate has confirmed Leon Panetta to be the next defense secretary. Panetta will be replacing Robert Gates who has been the only defense secretary to consequently serve two terms for both a Republican and Democrat President. Panetta’s nomination was approved by all 100 US Senators.

At a televised speech on June 22, US President Barack Obama announced his long awaited decision on US troop pullout in Afghanistan. The President ordered to bring all 33,000 surge troops home by the end of summer 2012.

The hacker group LulzSec has announced it intentions to steal classified information from governments, banks and other high-ranking establishments. The group known for it previous attacks on Sony Corp, the CIA, News Corp's Fox TV and other targets has mostly managed to temporarily disrupt websites and to release user’s informations.

The United States and Japan will continue to work together on missile defense, cyber and space initiatives, as well as expand information-sharing and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities.

According to Kommersant, the daily Ukrainian newspaper, referring to a secret document on Ukraine's programme with NATO for 2011, indicates Ukrainian President Yanukovych is seeking closer ties with the Alliance.

British Labour politician and shadow secretary for defence, Jim Murphy said that greater European defence co-operation is "critical", especially in the procurement of new weapons and in training. In a speech to industrialists at the Paris air show on Monday, Murphy said: "Europe must decide if it is serious. European governments have to be more honest with each other and about their capacity within NATO.

A joint Anglo-French Army exercise, called Flandres 2011, will involve six defence companies (EADS, Cassidian France, Cassidian UK, MBDA France, MBDA UK, Thales France and Thales UK) as part of a bilateral cooperative effort aimed at increasing interoperability, French Army Gen. Hervé Charpentier said on Friday.

Russia’s Admiral Chabanenko destroyer from the Northern Fleet will make a port call at the Norfolk US naval base today in preparation for joint naval drills with NATO warships. Admiral Chabanenko, an Udaloy II class destroyer, will take part in the FRUKUS 2011 exercises

The Russian parliament will today review the extension of Russia's use of a military base in Armenia. The two countries have signed amendments to a 1995 bilateral treaty extending the use of an Armenian military base through 2044, located near Armenia’s border with Turkey.

Internal divisions are rising within NATO on whether the alliance is capable of making the crucial push to remove Colonel Muammer Gaddafi from power. Robert Gates, US secretary defense, British and French navy heads are among the main critics, asking whether the NATO has what it takes to finish the mission.  Speaking at the Security & Defence Agenda last Friday, Gates cautioned that the military capabilities in Europe “simply aren’t there”.

The Czech defence minister Alexandr Vondra announced on Wednesday that his country would not host an early warning center assessing data for a US missile shield in Europe.

Following his warning to NATO members on finances in his SDA speech on 10 June, US Secretary of Defence Gates reiterated his critique on Wednesday to members of the US Senate Appropriation Committee, adding that this could eventually force the United States to move away from the alliance.

Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich announced on Monday the signing of an agreement with the United States on the deployment of aircraft and training staff to help strengthen EU military capacity begining in 2013. This engagement is the first step in creating a regional hub for NATO air operations in Central Europe.

NATO has outlined the main points of its cyber- defence policy which should be fully operational by 2012. Director of NATO's Communications and Information Systems Services Agency Kurt Herrmann says that “there will be more sensors to detect intrusions, monitor, defend and recover networks."

The SDA is pleased to present its latest discussion paper entitled "Maritime security in the Mediterranean: Challenges and policy responses". The 2011 Arab Spring has impacted Mediterranean security for the long-term.

The EU institutions have created a Computer Emergency Response pre-configuration Team (CERT), consisting of IT experts. After one year, the pre-configuration team will be evaluated and a decision made on establishing a fully functioning CERT.

Russia has opposed the arrival of a US Navy cruiser equipped with a ballistic missile defense system in the Black Sea to take part in naval exercises with Ukraine, calling it a threat to its national security

In the SDA evening debate, NATO's top civilian official in Kabul Simon Gass stressed the need to build support for the transition among the Afghan population by improving governance and the rule of law. He said the international community needs to reassure Afghans that it won't abandon them after 2014.

Speaking in a closed meeting for NATO defence ministers in Brussels, Robert Gates, US Secretary of Defense, called out Germany and Poland for assisting too little in the Libya air campaign. Spain, Turkey and The Netherlands were also among those who received harsh words from Gates

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon submitted their proposals for the next phase of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) programme on 6 June. The JAGM programme is built to replace AGM-114 Hellfire, BGM-71 TOW and AGM-65 Maverick missiles.

U.S Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on his final visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, declared yesterday that « U.S.-led forces are on the verge of securing a "decisive blow" against the Taliban.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday rejected the Russian proposal on missile defence. Russia has indicated it would be ready to concede on installations of missile defence facilities in Eastern Europe if NATO provides assurances the system would not be directed against Russia.

Pakistan and the United States have agreed to resume joint intelligence operations against Islamist militants, in a first step toward rebuilding trust between the two countries. 

Obama will decide in the coming weeks on the size and the speed of the troop reductions to begin in July

Russia has called off two high- level war games with the Indian Navy, raising questions on the Indian side.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is planning to eliminate concerns about a declining US presence in Asia at a security conference in Singapore this week.

For the first time in history, a Russian submarine will participate in a NATO rescue exercise. The drill is set to last from 30 May to 10 June and will see the Russian submarine dive off the Spanish Mediterranean coast alongside Spanish, Turkish and Portuguese vessels.

In a raid on industrial warehouses in the cities of Madrid and Barcelona, Spanish police say they have stopped the illegal sale of US military helicopters to Iran.

Shortly before the start of the G8 summit in Deauville, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev have reached agreement on a major arms deal between the two countries.

Taiwan’s National Security Bureau has confirmed statements about a new Chinese missile unit being deployed close to the island.

At bilateral talks on the sidelines of the current G8 summit in Deauville, France, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and US president Barack Obama have discussed options for the European missile defence shield.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. With a clear majority of 322 in favour to 96 against, congressmen and women gave their blessing to a $ 690bn defence budget for next year.

General Chen Bingde, chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, has called for a more aggressive anti-piracy strategy.

The US Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are sharing information on cybersecurity, authorities have told the press.

Some eight weeks after the initiation of NATO’s air campaign against forces of Libyan dictator Gadaffi, France and Britain will deploy attack helicopters to the battle zone.

Britain and the United States will set up a new security body this year. Details about the new board will be unveiled later this week during US president Obama’s visit to London.

After issuing serious threats and warning of a new cold war era should the European missile defence shield be implemented without Russian involvements, Moscow on 21 May said it may accept the shield under certain conditions.

Speaking last week during a visit in Beijing, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani announced closer military cooperation between China and Pakistan. Islamabad offered a deal to China to build a naval base at the south western city of Gwadar and to maintain a regular military presence there.

EU defence ministers are set to discuss the pooling of military capabilities on 23 May in Brussels. According to EU officials, the meeting will see national representatives explain their positions on pooling and sharing options.

NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his support for NATO-Russia cooperation in missile defence.

German defence minister Thomas de Maizière presented the first concrete details of his plan to restructure the German armed forces.

In the lunch discussion organised by the Security Defence Agenda and the United States Mission to the European Union, high ranking US officials presented an American perspective on the sharing of passenger name records (PNR).

In a move to foster international cooperation on providing a free and secure internet, White House presented a set of policy proposals on 16 May. According to US president Obama, the initiative represents “not only a vision for the future of cyberspace but an agenda for realizing it”.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has written a letter to NATO heads of state on 14 May, explaining the Russian position on a European missile defence shield.

India has for the first time announced its ambition to become a full member to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde is set to visit the United States next week. Leaders in Washington hope to initiate a defence dialogue with China’s highest ranking officer, who will stay in the United States for one week officials say.

In severe violation of UN sanctions, Iran and North Korea have regularly exchanged ballistic missile technology, a classified UN report claims.

The Bushehr power plant, Iran’s first nuclear reactor, was powered up for the first time at a “minimum controllable level of power”, Vladislav Bochkov, from the Russian company Atomstroyexport told the press.

The implementation of the new START agreement in the United States is facing difficulties after a vote by the US Congress’ House Armed Services Committee.

Indian authorities confirmed the start of a six-day war game along the country’s border to Pakistan. A military spokesperson told the press the exercise involves more than 20.000 soldiers and was taking part in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

Italy will provide rebels in Libya with weapons, Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, vice chairman of the National Transitional Council told the press on 7 May.

Debate between US democrats and republicans about the Pentagon’s budget erupted this week, as both parties outlined their strategies to ensure the global US power.

The US military has submitted lists of unfunded programmes essential to their requirements in 2012 to Congress. According to US authorities, the Navy has asked for an additional € 460m ($ 684m) for aviation equipment and ship depot maintenance.

The Deveselu Air Base near Caracal in Romania will host a U.S. ballistic missile defence system of the “Aegis Ashore System”, US and Romanian authorities announced on 3 May.

Paris authorised on Sunday 3 April the additional deployment of 400 soldiers to its former colony Ivory Coast, boosting its force numbers to 1.500. The initial peacekeeping force has been deployed since a civil war broke out in 2002 and remained active after 2004, despite a separate UN peacekeeping operation.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that, beginning this summer, his security forces will gradually take over control of seven provinces in July, including the country’s capital Kabul. The force transition is scheduled to be completed in 2014 with the ANA controlling the entire country and the exit of all NATO combat forces.

NATO Defence Ministers agreed on a new task force to explore joint military capabilities. Due to defence cuts NATO will seek to expand joint operations and multinational capability development. The new task force will consist of NATO, ACT and member states officials.

Executive Chairman Antoine Bouvier of European missile maker MBDA said yesterday that the US pull-out from the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) programme “surprised and disappointed” him. The US administration seems not to have consulted with its European allies before making its decision to pull out of the programme.

The European Council met in an extraordinary session on Friday 11 March to discuss the developments in Libya and the Southern neighbourhood region. Despite strong calls by France and the UK to impose a no-fly zone the European Council opted out of mentioning this option in their communiqué. However, a window was left open on this subject. "In order to protect the civilian population, member states will examine all necessary options, provided that there is a demonstrable need, a clear legal basis and support from the region."

The international community continues to debate imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. US officials say the plan remains an option under consideration but warn of the risks involved. Addressing Congress on Wednesday Secretary of Defence Robert Gates stated it would require “a big operation “to impose a no-fly zone over Libya since it would involve attacking the country’s air defences.

A report from the House of Commons states that Britain’s policy in Afghanistan lacks a clear security justification and is failing to create a more stable government. The Committee’s report provides the harshest parliamentary assessment yet of the counter-insurgency campaign in Afghanistan and criticises the political leadership.

Cyberattacks in Europe and across the globe are at an all-time high and showing no signs of abating. Remote hijacking of computers for malicious purposes constitute an “electronic epidemic”. Faced with such rapid technological upheaval, European policymakers seem slow to react. As EU member states rush to create the necessary national agencies, is it time for a European cybersecurity authority?

Violence in Libya reached new heights yesterday as reports of the use of heavy weapons against the protestors shocked the world. News agencies confirmed several attacks by war planes and combat helicopters in what witnesses described as an indiscriminate killing of civilians. World leaders were quick to condemn the attacks.

Two Iranian warships, the frigate Alvand and the supply vessel Kharg, crossed the Suez Canal early this morning and are making their way towards the Mediterranean. The warships are heading for Syria for training.

Catherine Ashton has issued Europe’s strongest statement to date on events in Egypt, saluting the courage of Egyptian protestors and indirectly attacking President Mubarak. The recumbent President delivered a speech last night in which he refused to bow to popular pressure, despite protests for his removal entering their third week. In response, Baroness Ashton has stated that Mr Mubarak “has not yet opened the way to faster and deeper reforms”, before declaring that “the time for change is now”.

The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) has declared that the latest spate of piracy in the Indian Ocean “will strangle these crucial shipping lanes” if left unchecked. The warning comes after the capture of the Irene SL, an oil tanker whose tonnage constitutes 20% of the daily intake of the United States.

France and the US have signed a cooperation agreement for the monitoring of space debris, in the first tangible bilateral relationship to emerge from Washington’s new National Security Space Strategy (NSSS). Currently, the US has a virtual monopoly on debris monitoring radar technology, despite around 60 countries currently operating roughly 1,100 satellites in orbit.

Members of the European Parliament have called for an international donors conference to support Tunisia’s transition to democracy, amidst further high-profile visits to the country’s interim government by MEP’s and the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague. The proposals follow a growing feeling that Europe is failing to grasp the significance of the change sweeping across North Africa.

In a controversial change of policy, General David Petraeus, NATO commander in Afghanistan, has announced plans to roll-out a “strategic hamlet” scheme. The policy will see thousands of local recruits in remote Afghan villages trained and armed by NATO teams, in an attempt to mobilise a grassroots resistance to the Taliban. Whilst advocates point to the strength of anti-Taliban feeling amongst many tribal elders, critics are calling the scheme a dangerous “quick fix”, designed to accelerate NATO withdrawal.

The US has unveiled its National Security Space Strategy (NSSS), which for the first time has provided a 10 year roadmap for space policy. The report has acknowledged the increased crowding of the space domain, and the emergence of a range of space orientated weapons by actors such as China and Iran. As NATO’s leading member state on space issues, the NSSS will undoubtedly shape NATO’s own burgeoning interest in space policy.

Afghan Security Forces and the Pakistani Army have purportedly exchanged fire, in one of the largest such clashes this year. At least one Pakistani soldier has been killed in the troubled border-region of Ghulam Khan, the epicentre of militant activity and the entry point for hundreds of Taliban fighters a year. NATO forces have yet to confirm if coalition troops have been involved in the incident, which marks a low point in recent Afghan-Pakistan relations.

Whilst Egypt holds its first meetings with the opposition, the political beneficiaries of Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution are petitioning for assistance from the international community. Calling for financial and state building aid, interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has appealed to Europe and the wider world to “protect the Tunisian experiment”. However, the EU has not significantly increased funding since Tunisia started on the road to democracy, despite a high-profile visit from Catherine Ashton.

In a clear change of tone, Britain, France and Germany have issued declarations calling for the transition of power in Egypt to begin “now”, rather then the "orderly transition" advocated earlier this week. The announcements, mirroring similar shifts in US and Turkish diplomacy, come as protestors in Cairo prepare for the “day of departure”, which many commentators believe could bring about the end of the Mubarak regime.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has stated the UK’s intention to spearhead the development of conventions and guidelines for operations conducted in cyberspace. Whilst cyberdefence has risen high on the agenda of the US and NATO allies, the announcement makes the UK the first nation state to actually propose the formalisation of “rules of engagement” for the realm of cyberspace

NATO has announced a succession of development and implementation contracts for command and control equipment, which will allow for increased interoperability in European air commands. The deals, signed with Siemens, STM and ThalesRaytheonSystems, will also provide the initial operational capacity onto which the future missile defence architecture will be integrated.

Romania and Bulgaria may be offered separate accession dates to the Schengen free-travel area, according to the latest EU assessment. Whilst the ambition is still for a dual accession, Teodor Baconschi, Romania's Foreign Minister, has not ruled out Romania joining ahead of its neighbour, after a recent EU examination gave his country a “clean bill of health” to join.

It has been reported that Stuxnet has infiltrated Iran’s Bushehr nuclear centrifuge facility, with a serious risk of meltdown or nuclear catastrophe if the centre comes online, warns a non-US intelligence agency. The claim, forwarded by the Associated Press from an un-known source, illuminates the potential repercussions of the latest wave of cyber espionage, which it is widely believed was instigated by US and Israeli intelligence services.

As anti-government protests in Egypt enter their second week, the EU response continues to come under scrutiny. With the death toll over the weekend alone reaching 100 and footage of military aircraft “buzzing” the defiant protestors in Cairo occupying the Western media, a flurry of declaratory statements has been the strongest action to emanate from the EU bloc. The EU seems divided between the desire to support a democratic uprising, and the need the “hedge their bets” in the face of these largely spontaneous protests.

NATO’s theatre ballistic missile defence (TBMD) system has completed initial testing in Uedem, Germany, inaugurating the next stage of the Alliance’s efforts to create an integrated missile defence command and control apparatus. The handing over of NATO’s Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence Programme to military planners is the first step forward since the Lisbon Summit, where members asserted their commitment to developing a robust missile defence capacity for Europe.

Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini has issued a statement, claiming that the EU should send high-level "political support teams" to Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia, to attempt to calm growing unrest in the region. The vague nature of this “support”, combined with mixed reactions from other European governments, is raising questions about exactly what the EU can do, faced with such widespread and potentially significant anti-government sentiments in North Africa.

A group of former British Chiefs of the Defence Staff, in a letter to the UK’s Daily Telegraph, have called the cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 surveillance aircraft programme “perverse”, amidst claims it will endanger Britain’s nuclear deterrent. The project, which has already cost the UK €4.6 billion, was cancelled as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), both to save costs and open up competition for a potential un-manned capability.

The German government has ratified their portion of the A400M budget, confirming the order of 53 of the military transport aircraft at an estimated cost of €3.5 billion. However, financial constraints and a radical decrease in troop numbers after the recent military reform package has lowered demand, meaning that up to 13 of the aircraft may be sold on to third party buyers.

The next phase of Russo-US nuclear disarmament agreements, the New START, was been unanimously backed by Russian Parliament. The “yes” vote from the Russian Federal Council comes one day after the Duma also agreed to the treaty, that will see Russia and the US cap deployable nuclear weapons at 1,550, rather then today’s 2,200. The treaty will still need ratification by the Russian President to enter into law.

In an abrupt volte-face, US Admiral Mike Mullen has hailed a commitment by Beijing to rein in North Korean nuclear intransigence. The change of tone from the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff comes shortly after recent meetings between high ranking military and political figures in both Washington and Beijing. Many see the recent thaw in relations as part of an “outreach” policy from the Obama administration, after a rocky year for Sino-US relations.

The financial crisis means international security organisations have to constantly rethink their roles. NATO’s Lisbon summit outlined ‘restructuring’ and ‘modernisation’ as priorities, but implementing them remains under-defined. General Stéphane Abrial, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation, will debate his perspective of NATO’s force transformation and reform agenda in Brussels tomorrow evening.

General David Petraeus, the US and NATO force commander in Afghanistan, has expressed optimism that the ISAF mission is making headway in the troubled country, despite contrary reports from NGO’s working in the region. His report, issued as part of a three page letter to NATO forces, warned that despite “significant” gains, the coming year would be a difficult one for the troops on the ground.

France and Russia have signed a deal for the construction of upto four Mistral-class transport ships, despite strong concerns from NATO allies in the Baltic. The warships, which have been sold for an undisclosed amount, are capable of carrying upto 450 soldiers and a full compliment of support helicopters and armour, which will give Russia a level of amphibious capability unseen since the end of the Cold War.

The German parliament has continued debating the renewal of the Bundeswehr’s mandate for military operations in Afghanistan. German public opinion has hit an all time low, with 62% of people polled advocating a German withdrawal from NATO’s campaign. However, after the approval of a military cap of 5,350 troops by the Cabinet last week, a comfortable majority vote in favour is expected.

Islam Karimov, the president of Uzbekistan, will begin a controversial visit to both EU and NATO officials today, amidst condemnation of the visit on human rights grounds. Bizarrely, both organisations have responded by denying they initiated his invitation, although Commission President Barroso and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen are still expected to hold talks on issues ranging from energy to regional security.

South Korean navy commandos operating from the Choi Young destroyer have successfully liberated a cargo vessel from pirate occupation in the Indian Ocean. All 21 crew members of the South Korean-owned Samho Jewelry were rescued, according to Col. Lee Bung-woo of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Operations of this kind are rare, with the high risk to hostages and the difficulty of catching ships before they are steered into Somali waters limiting successful liberation attempts. Eight of the pirates were killed in the raid.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) will host a multinational working group on the 8th of February, to assess the viability of forming a shared helicopter resource pool for European expeditionary and disaster response roles. The proposals build upon European ambitions to increase the deployability of existing helicopter platforms, which is chronically low. According to Andy Grey, the Helicopter Project Officer at the EDA, out of 1,500 military support helicopters in Europe, only 50 are deployed in-theatre.

General Vincenzo Camporini has ended his tenure as the Italian Chief of Defence Staff, after three years of service. His replacement, General Biagio Abrate, will assume the role, having previously held positions as Head of the Defence Minister’s cabinet, Secretary General for Defence and Director General for Armaments. General Abrate has vowed to continue the force modernization initiatives of his predecessor.

Europe’s flagship space programme and answer to the US dominated Global Positioning System (GPS) network, the Galileo project, has run into difficulties, with the announcement that it will need an additional €1.9 billion. The money, which will be used to raise the total number of satellites to 30, brings the bill to €5 billion. The news comes just days after the German satellite CEO Berry Smutny was fired, after Wikileaks reported he had called the project “doomed to failure”.

A Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists report has highlighted the continued reduction of US deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, which now constitutes a “tiny fraction” of the Cold War total. According to analysts Robert Norris and Hans Kristensen there are around 150-200 US maintained nuclear weapons stored in mainland Europe, down from almost 7,000 weapons in the 1970’s. The report does not include Britain and France’s independent nuclear deterrents.

A New York Times article, published on the 15th January, has laid out the ongoing technical and policy debate surrounding the so called “Stuxnet” virus. The worm, which employs a simple but effective self-deleting algorithm to “reset” basic chip components, rendering them useless, came to the publics attention in July last year, when it was detected by a private anti-virus company in Belarus. Since then, it has been alleged that the virus was specifically engineered to infect and disrupt Iran’s nascent nuclear programme, with Israel and the US the likely originators.

NATO has let it be known that that security in the Gulf or Aden and Indian Ocean is becoming increasingly complicated as Somali pirates learn to diversify their tactics. According to Commodore Michiel Hijmans, Commander of NATO's Counter Piracy mission, pirates have become "smarter" by investing in high-level technology, deploying motherships and adopting disguises.

Lithuania formally opened its new Energy Security Centre on the 14th of January, with the hope of gaining NATO accreditation by 2013. Neigbouring Estonia is already home to NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCD COE), and the new centre is tacitly aiming to gain a similar status within the Alliance. NATO has emphasised that energy security is a prominent concern for its members.

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, has issued a statement supporting the peaceful conclusion of the Sudanese referendum on independence. The people of South Sudan have been voting for the last week over whether to secede from the North, in events that will likely see Africa’s largest nation split in two. Ashton’s statement comes after initial international reports confirm that the voting process was “credible and well-organized in a mostly peaceful environment".

French Defence Ministry spokesman Laurent Teisseire has confirmed that British and French defence ministers Liam Fox and Alain Juppé met on the 13th of January, to assess the progress of cooperative measures agreed between the two nations in November. The meeting was the first ministerial level collaboration since the treaty was signed, and centred on the practical operational questions that underpin the agreement, which includes a combined rapid reaction task force and the sharing of carrier resources.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has announced a “major breakthrough” on energy security for the EU, with the confirmation from Azerbaijan that it will partner with the bloc on the development of its Caspian gas field infrastructure. The agreement; signed between Barroso and Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, will be seen as tacit support for the troubled Nabucco pipeline project, which many believe is Europe’s only way to reduce dependence on Russia.

Prominent euro-federalist organisation and European Parliament lobbyists, the Spinelli Group, have urged greater European integration to tackle the host of problems that beset the EU. Former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer and the co-president of the Parliament's Green group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, were amongst the voices lamenting the Unions sprawling sovereign debt crisis, lack of international voice and declining global stature.

General Vincenzo Camporini, the Italian Chief of the Defence Staff, has stated that he believes Europe is "technically ready" for a European army, whilst speaking at the Università per Stranieri. The General went on to clarify that "without political will we cannot make progress", during a discussion of the role of the Italian armed forces in peace-keeping operations.

Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for Int. Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, has given her perspective of the EU's ongoing efforts in Haiti, one year since the country was plunged into crisis by an earthquake. Speaking to EurActiv, the Commissioner hailed the international communities efforts and that of the Haitian people, saying that, "what is definitely visible is that people have survived a very devastating disaster and they have managed to go through it without chaos and a collapse of the country".

The European network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) and NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCD COE) will conduct a joint workshop in Cologne, Germany to address issues related to the measurement, detection and tracking of botnets in Europe. The collaboration is the latest in a series of exercises, including “Cybersecurity 2010”, Europe’s first continent-wide cyberdefence drill.

As budget cuts begin to bite in Washington, Europe may feel the effects of the financial crisis on the transatlantic relationship in unexpected ways, warns European Voice analyst, Bruce Stokes. Pointing to the flurry of consolidation plans published in the US by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform earlier this week, Stokes anticpates severe implications for Europe, in both it's military and economic relations with the US.

Claude-France Arnould has been appointed as Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA). She is currently Deputy Director-General for the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) in the External Action Service, and has extensive experience operating as part of EU external relations missions, the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy.

A suicide bomber killed 17 people at a bath house in the southern Afghan town of Spin Boldak as men gathered to wash before Friday prayers, according to a provincial official. The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying their target had been the deputy of an influential border patrol commander. The news illustrates the continued instability of the country, and coincides with the NATO announcement that three of its troops were also killed in an unrelated incident, bringing Alliance casualties for the first week of this year to nine.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has announced a $78bn (£50.3bn) military budget cut for 2011, designed to end what he describes as a "culture of endless money where cost was rarely a consideration" in the Pentagon. The move comes just 6 months after the US announced $100bn in savings for the coming 5 years, making the Pantagon's current policy of fiscal retrenchment the harshest since the end of the Cold War.

Despite the position of both Catherine Ashton and various national governments, such as France and Spain, consensus from the majority of members has firmly pushed a potential lifting of the EU arms embargo of China off the agenda. The embargo, a legacy of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacres and subsequent political isolation of China, has recently been criticised as being “out-dated” given China’s changing geo-political and economic stature. Continued US backing of the embargo, as well as the protestations of numerous members, has supported a continuation of the stance.

Speaking to NewEurope, SDA Co-President and long serving European diplomat Javier Solana has outlined his perspective of the recent Anglo-French treaty, and the opportunities it may create for a further drive towards pan-European defence cooperation in the wake of the financial crisis. Describing the agreement, that formalises the shared use of carrier and nuclear resources, Solana described how such treaties constitute “a step along the arduous but necessary path toward greater European security”.

MV BLIDA, a 20,586 tonne Algerian flagged Bulk Carrier, has been hijacked 150 miles off the coast of Oman, in the latest Somalia based act of piracy to affect the troubled region. The attack comes amidst growing pressure for the EU and NATO naval missions operating in the Indian Ocean to secure increased stability for international shipping. There are currently 28 vessels and 654 hostages being held by pirates in or around war-torn Somalia.

The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Poland have taken the un-usual step of sending a trilateral letter to Catherine Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, urging her to strengthen the EU’s military capabilities. In the letter, dated the 6th of December, the Troika calls for Ashton to personally oversee a re-focus on Europe’s military ambitions, "with you, Madam High Representative, in the lead."

The European External Action Service (EEAS) has been formally launched, amidst ongoing budgetary disputes and continuing diplomatic revelations from the Wikileaks scandal. Catherine Ashton, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, spoke with great enthusiasm about the service’s mission, at a ceremony noted for being surprisingly intimate, and closed to the press.

A panel of experts discussed the future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship. Focusing on the ongoing mission in Afghanistan and European relations with the US, the debate revolved around the need for reform, reinvigorated partnerships with regional powers and new models of cooperation in an increasingly unstable world.

Germany has formally announced an end to conscription into the Bundeswehr (German Army), as part of ongoing measures to increase power projection capabilities abroad whilst slashing budgets at home.

The worlds largest and most powerful military alliance has unveiled its New Strategic Concept, the document that formally outlines its strategic posture and role in the world. Despite controversy, the alliance has unanimously backed the draft.

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton has appointed the chair for the Political and Security Committee (PSC) of the European External Action Service (EEAS), 48-year-old Swedish diplomat, Olof Skoog. The posting is the first of seven major appointments expected ahead of the official launch of the service in December.

Maj. Gen. Mark A. Barrett, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Policy at NATO Allied Command Transformation, introduces this report on “Protecting the global commons.” He and a number of prominent policy-makers, military and civilian, focus on the dual requirements of promoting stability and protecting access within the global commons, comprised of the space, maritime and cyber domains.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has continued to object to the specific wording and construction of NATO’s missile defence statement in the upcoming New Strategic Concept, due to be unveiled at the Lisbon Summit later this week.

NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has outlined his expectations for the forthcoming summit in Lisbon following meetings of Foreign and Defence Ministers. Claiming that all parties now have a clear mandate for reform as well as a clear idea of what reform will look like, he predicted that the summit will bring about “a substantially leaner Alliance Command Structure”, which is likely to mean streamlining the command to below 9000 personnel and reducing the number of NATO agencies from fourteen to only three.

Britain’s first Strategic Defence Review in over a decade, designed to dictate the form and function of the UK armed forces, has been over-shadowed by the need to deal with the constraints of the current financial situation and controversy over capability gaps in the new aircraft carrier program.

In this exclusive SDA report, US Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III gives his perspective on cybersecurity issues today. With participants from accross the transatlantic security community present, the debate focused on the threat of cyber attack, the importance of transnational cooperation and the role of NATO in this evolving field.

Following official recommendations proposed last week, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, has further outlined the likely role and structure of the new European Emergency Response Capacity. Speaking of the need to develop a robust EU capability for handling large-scale environmental or humanitarian disasters, the Commissioner is attempting to clarify how the newly proposed centre would be distinct from the existing Crisis Room and the EU's Joint Situation Centre (SitCen).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claims in its quarterly report that Iran has increased its total stockpile of enriched uranium by 15% despite the recent sanctions imposed by EU and America. The IAEA further announced that Iran was hampering surveillance of its nuclear programme by vetoing the nomination of certain inspectors. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor noted, “This again demonstrates that Iran is refusing to comply with its international nuclear obligations and continues to move closer to a nuclear weapons capability.”

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has branded NATO’s counter-insurgency “ineffectual”. “The experience from the last eight years shows that fighting in Afghan villages is not effective and only causes civilian casualties,” he said. While stressing that the government remains committed to a significant NATO troop presence, he also demanded that international forces stop invasive night raids on residents' homes and distance their soldiers from "the daily life of the people.”

A panel of high-ranking UK officials discuss the upcoming Strategic Defence and Security Review. Against a backdrop of the financial crisis, panellists and participants discussed what to expect from this exercise after 9/11, two wars, and an ever changing European defence project.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen headed a high-level panel discussed the future of the Alliance, the implications of the financial crisis on the defence sector and the way ahead in Afghanistan.
"NATO's European Dimension" was organised with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, and was attended by 500 particpants. .

During this innovative online experiment, leading think-tanks got together with the SDA to organise a 5-day brainstorm that was supported by NATO and the EU. The recommendations that emerged from this brainstorming event have been sent around the world.

Experts from NATO, McAfee, the EU, the European Parliament and various thinks-tanks spoke in this sometimes heated debate, which focused on the threat of so-called "weapons of mass disruption" that were emerging from cyberspace.

In December 2009 the Security & Defence Agenda organised an international conference “NATO, the credit crunch and the new security environment” with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin and NATO. The discussions focused on the challenges facing NATO with the current economic crisis and the ever-changing global security paradigm. The SDA is pleased to present the principal conclusions of the conference in this report.

On Monday 7 December, the SDA hosted the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral James Stavridis. He outlined his views on the enduring value of the NATO alliance, offered an update on the way the mission in Afghanistan is developing and shared his thinking on the issues to be addressed from a military perspective in developing the new Strategic Concept.

The SDA is pleased to send you the report of its recent evening debate entitled “Could Europe do better on pooling Intelligence?”, held on October 26 in Brussels. The panel, bringing together directors and high level representatives from the EU Joint Situation Centre, EU Satellite Centre, Europol, Interpol, and national intelligence services, came to the conclusion that deeper trust and greater understanding between European intelligence and security agencies is key to a better pooling of intelligence.

In November 2009, high-level representatives from EU institutions, member state governments, NGOs, think-tanks, industry, and the media, gathered to discuss how the combination of civilian and military power is the key to the European Union’s “smart power”. The Security & Defence Agenda and the CEIS (European Strategic Intelligence Company) are pleased to present the main findings of the conference.

Ballistic missile threats have continued to grow during 2009. North Korea and Iran have both demonstrated short as well as intermediate range missiles, highlighting a potential threat to the United States and Europe.

Following the US Administration’s change of policy, what is the political outlook for the new US anti-missile system, in terms of both public opinion in the US and Europe and also in light of NATO's new Strategic Concept? Is there potential for a linked missile defence system for the US and Europe, and if so, what practical steps now need to be taken?

The SDA is pleased to present its latest Discussion Paper entitled “Re-launching NATO or just re-branding it?” At a decisive time for NATO, experts tackle critical questions over the Alliance’s new strategic consensus, including France’s return to NATO’s military command, the relationship between NATO and European security and defence policy (ESDP), and the Obama Administration’s own security and defence agenda.

Speaking to 180 ambassadors, policymakers, journalists and think-tankers at the SDA’s June 8th evening debate, new US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder outlined the Obama administration’s policy priorities for the alliance. He described the administration’s focus within the Alliance as being three-fold: achieving its objective in Afghanistan of disrupting, dismantling and defeating Al Qaeda, creating a more productive NATO-Russia relationship, and building a ‘new NATO for a new century’ which is capable of addressing a host of evolving transatlantic security challenges.

The role of international institutions is being challenged by the growing complexity and unpredictability of today’s strategic environment. This context stretches the transatlantic community’s capabilities and political cohesion, severely testing NATO’s credibility as a constructive global security player.

Although it’s been nearly a decade and a half since the Dayton Accord that brought peace to the Western Balkans, and ten years since NATO intervened over Kosovo, dangerous tensions persist. How great is the risk that old enmities and rivalries between Balkan newcomers to the EU and of NATO will spill over into wider policy areas? The argument for stabilising Balkan countries through integration into the EU and NATO remains strong, but with Euro-American relations still badly scarred by last year’s disagreements over the advisability of Georgian and Ukrainian NATO membership, how deep are the pitfalls? These questions are tackled by regional experts, academics and diplomats in the SDA's latest discussion paper, published thanks to the support of the Czech presidency of the EU.

Headline-grabbing reports of piracy off the coast of Somalia may have prompted calls for more EU action but the interests of individual member states take precedence while the presence of national industrial champions means defence procurement remains fragmented in Europe. There have been piecemeal attempts to co-ordinate European efforts but none have so far added up to a comprehensive naval strategy.

On January 26th, at the beginning of the year marking the 60th anniversary of NATO, its Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer gave his first public announcement after the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. The Secretary General set out his vision for the future of NATO and transatlantic relations before an audience of 170 policymakers, industry experts, think-tankers and journalists.

On Monday 19th January 2009, the SDA kicked off the European political year with a stimulating discussion co-organised with sister think-tank Friends of Europe on Turkey’s European Future. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan put a powerful case for Turkey as future member of the European Union to a distinguished gathering of senior politicians, policy makers, managerial executives and journalists.

The SDA is pleased to present its latest Discussion Paper entitled “Re-launching NATO or just re-branding it?” At a decisive time for NATO, experts tackle critical questions over the Alliance’s new strategic consensus, including France’s return to NATO’s military command, the relationship between NATO and European security and defence policy (ESDP), and the Obama Administration’s own security and defence agenda.

The SDA's most recent discussion paper, entitled 'The Georgia-Russia Stalemate: Dos and Don'ts for avoiding a new Cold War,' focuses on the broader implications of the Georgia-Russia conflict last August. The paper features analyses and observations by expert policymakers, scholars, and industry leaders.

The SDA session was timely given Brigadier Carleton-Smith’s October declaration that “a decisive military victory” against the Taliban should not be expected.

SACEUR General John Craddock questioned whether NATO’s member nations’ political will matched the Alliance’s ambition. Given the many caveats that limited his forces’ options, he argued that the political will was “irresolute”. Stressing that the “comprehensive approach” meant that all international bodies had to work together, General Craddock insisted that the insurgency-funding narcotics trade was the prime target. With the Taliban earning millions of dollars per annum, there was no time to lose.

Co-organised with the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), this evening event examined Nick Witney's recent report entitled 'Re-energising European Security and Defence Policy.' Describing his report as a rather unflattering account of the first 10 years of ESDP, Nick Witney explained that his criticism was directed mainly at the member states for failing to reform their militaries, rather than those in Brussels. The discussion also focused on transatlantic cooperation, effective spending strategies, and defence industry priorities.

The Security & Defence Agenda (SDA), the European Company for Strategic Intelligence (CEIS) and the Robert Schuman Foundation are proud to present this Security & Defence Days 2008 conference report “The Outlook for European Security”. It reflects the contributions of the 27 speakers and 280 participants at this two-day conference on EU security policy issues held on November 3 & 4 November 2008.

Some 120 experts gathered in Brussels to discuss the chief ESDP weaknesses to be tackled and debate what the impact will be of France's return to NATO. Though the debate almost got sidetracked by discussions of the skirmishes in Georgia, participants discussed whether the French Presidency's agenda was too ambitious, and many voices agreed that the Presidency's call for informal high-level meetings between NATO and EU leaders was a way forward.

The event, which took place on May 27, 2008, comprised a keynote address by Araz Azimov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, followed by a question and answer session.

The event focused on current developments in the field of security and defence technology including transatlantic interoperability, funding and civ-mil cooperation.

On 14 April, the Security & Defence Agenda together with the Atlantic Council of the United States organised a transatlantic roundtable on the question of EU-US defence cooperation. With two panels and 14 high-level speakers both in Brussels and in Washington, the debate proved to be highly fruitful and a start for more transatlantic dialogue on this subject.

The Security & Defence Agenda is pleased to present you the report of its 2008 International Conference "NATO in the Next Decade - The Outlook for European Security and Defence". The event was co-organised with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin and NATO.

Romania will be hosting the next NATO Summit in Bucharest on 2-4 April this year. On 12 March the Security & Defence Agenda hosted Romania’s Ambassador to NATO Sorin Dumitru Ducaru, US Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland and Belgium’s Ambassador to NATO Baron Frans van Daele.

What do you do when your two keenest admirers want to join your party, but your biggest and most difficult neighbour wants to keep them out? That is the dilemma which NATO's 26 political leaders are set to tackle in Bucharest this week, when they plan to discuss whether to offer Georgia and Ukraine a membership plan despite Russian opposition.

Following a fascinating debate that ranged from bullet-proof hosting to onion-routing, the conclusion had to be that the cyber security threat was evolving rapidly and was touching all aspects of society. Its political importance is also increasing and in a cyber society that “has no rules or borders, according to Estonia’s Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo, there is a need for improved coordination at the highest level.

Adriano Martins of the European Agency for Reconstruction advocated success in his organisation’s operations, most notably in the Balkans. International Crisis Group’s Alain Délétroz made a case that the EU should be developing its own capacities, via the ESDP, eluding to a permanent civ-mil response HQ in Brussels. Giuliano Porcelli of the Council of the EU, envisioned the tangible improvements in the EU’s operational capabilities for responding to international disasters, vis-à-vis a Lisbon Reform Treaty ratification, that would streamline decision-making when time matters most.

This study has been prepared by the Security & Defence Agenda for the French Ministry of Defence. It looks at the quality of debate amongst defence and security experts of the future course of the ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) in Brussels.

China is keen to play a role in ending conflict in Darfur despite criticism from the United States and the European Union that it is too close to the Sudanese government, a top U.N. envoy said Monday.