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IEP Lunch Debate with Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven: “The CFSP: Institutional Perspectives and Current Questions of European Foreign Policy”

Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven

IEP Lunch Debate on the topic “The CFSP: Insti­tu­tional Perspec­tives and Current Questions of European Foreign Policy” with Arndt Freytag von Loring­hoven, Director of the EU-COR Division, 19 October 2005, 12:30–14:30 in the Jean Monnet Building, Berlin.

At the center of this event stood the question of how insti­tu­tional improve­ments in the CFSP, at least to a limited extent, can be reached through the consti­tu­tional treaty during the reflection period declared by the European Council. Also part of the discussion were pragmatic steps toward endowing the High Repre­sen­tative for CFSP with additional respon­si­bil­ities, including in external repre­sen­tation in the partic­i­pation of political dialogues and also in conducting council meetings, in order to remove some of the burdens from the presi­dency. Furthermore, measures already anchored in treaties are being under­taken to improve the coherence of the foreign policy behavior of the Union, which is frequently considered inade­quate in EU practice. In addition, there are realistic consid­er­a­tions for achieving closer cooper­ation between the 25 in consular questions and imple­menting improve­ments for coordi­nated diplo­matic action in third countries, for example, by leasing common office space and making use of joint services.

The current CFSP agenda formed the second main point of the talk. In addition to the further stabi­lization of the Western Balkans and especially a solution for Kosovo, EU policy toward Iran was raised, which is also insti­tu­tionally noteworthy as the EU‑3 group (Great Britain, France, Germany) for the most part determine the overall European course. Finally, the growing civil and military crisis management opera­tions of the EU drew attention. The most recent EU observer mission in Aceh, Indonesia for the oversight of the peace agreement between the government and the rebels, which was passed in September 2005 and initially planned for 6 months, is thus far considered a successful under­taking of the CFSP, carried out in close coordi­nation with the Associ­ation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

By: Elfriede Regelsberger