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– EuroArmy...For Peace or
War?
Miliband: EU 'must tackle global
conflicts'
By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent and Gary Cleland
European countries should be more willing to launch military
interventions in trouble-spots around the world, David Miliband, the
Foreign Secretary, will say today.
Mr Miliband will use a speech in Bruges to warn the European Union it
faces becoming irrelevant if it is unwilling to deploy “hard power” to
promote democracy and tackle conflict beyond its borders.
His remarks reflect simmering anger in the UK government that EU members
like France and Germany have refused to deploy large numbers of troops
in Afghanistan, leaving British forces bearing a disproportionate
military burden there.
“There is a clear fork in the road,” Mr Miliband will say, telling
European leaders that if they “focus on internal not external
challenges; institutions rather than ideals” then the consequence will
be “losing our hard power by not being prepared to intervene”.
Mr Miliband will also call for Europe to work together to tackle
environmental concerns and propose that the free trade zone be extended
into north Africa by 2030.
The Foreign Secretary will argue that the EU can fill a vacuum in modern
politics.
He will say: “Across Europe, people are feeling a divergence between the
freedom and control they have in their personal lives, and the sense of
powerlessness they face against the great global challenges we face:
from preventing conflict and terrorism to addressing climate change,
energy insecurity, and religious extremism.
“They are confident about personal progress, but pessimistic about
societal progress.”
Mr Miliband will speak at the College of Bruges, where almost exactly 20
years ago Margaret Thatcher said she wanted to see “Europe more united
and with a greater sense of common purpose” - but not at the expense of
national sovereignty and tradition.
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