Today's Date:

France and Germany welcome the substantial progress the European Union has achieved over the past few months on the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). A decisive milestone was reached with the agreement on the Constitutional Treaty in June 2004. France and Germany made an essential contribution to it, particularly through their joint proposals to the Convention. Our two countries intend to make the European Union a fully-committed player on the international stage.

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Over the next few months, France and Germany will go on working to take the ESDP forward. We attach a great deal of importance to implementing the instruments provided for by the Constitution and the pertinent decisions.

France and Germany welcome the adoption in June 2004 of the concept of European Union battle groups. These will strengthen the EU's ability to react militarily to crises. In the context of this concept, France and Germany have expressed their resolve to make substantial contributions, as early as the development phase (2005-2006), to the European Union's rapid reaction capability. They have also announced the establishment of a joint battle group based on the Franco-German Brigade. This battle group will be open to contributions from other States, particularly from the other Eurocorps framework nations. The planning for its implementation has already begun. Our two countries stress that the battle-group concept and NATO Rapid Response Force are complementary and mutually reinforcing.

The European security strategy and the concept of rapid crisis-management operations form the conceptual framework for the capability generation process (2010 Headline Goal). France and Germany reiterate that the November Military Capabilities Commitment Conference is a milestone in the process.

France and Germany are playing an important role of catalyst for the development of the European rapid-reaction capabilities. So they will continue determinedly developing the Franco-German Brigade to make it the nucleus of an "initial entry force" for the European Union and NATO, principally in the Eurocorps framework. Our two countries are also developing a common vision of the development of the Franco-German Brigade in the coming years.

Strengthening the planning and command capabilities will improve still further the European Union's ability to act. Consequently, Germany and France welcome the progress achieved in implementing the paper entitled "European Defence: NATO/EU consultation, planning and operations" of December 2003. They consider that the work of setting up an operations centre will have to progress rapidly so that the capabilities needed for such a centre are available on 1 January 2006 at the latest. Our two countries also consider that the work needed to set up a civilian-military cell within the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) and a small European Union planning cell based at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and arrangements for liaising between NATO and the EUMS will be completed by the end of 2004.

France and Germany welcome the establishment of the European Defence Agency answerable to the Council. Our two countries are convinced that the Agency will render the partner countries' defence efforts more coherent and more effective. The Agency is called on to become a high-performance instrument of an ambitious and effective European armaments policy serving the ESDP. France and Germany will pursue their close cooperation in the framework of the Council and the Agency. In this context a special role falls to the Defence Ministers. They are also taking on this role in the framework of their responsibilities, in the General Affairs and External Relations Council, in discussions on military capabilities and the Agency.

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France and Germany welcome the successful development of the European Union's civilian crisis-management capabilities. On top of the present Police missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia there is a new European Union Rule of Law mission to Georgia (EUJUST Themis) in which France and Germany are actively participating.

The November Civilian Capabilities Conference bringing together the ministers, and the drawing-up of a consolidated Civilian Headline Goal must give new impetus to civilian crisis management. This headline goal will define strategic parameters for civilian crisis management and signal the start of a more systematic development of civilian capabilities. The Civilian Headline Goal will thus, alongside the 2010 Headline Goal for military capabilities, be a major milestone on the road to making the European security strategy operational in the ESDP sphere.

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The European Union and United States of America are partners who share the same values and ideals. True to the goals and principles of the United Nations Charter, they must continue to confront together the threats hanging over security and world peace.

Implementation of the arrangements in Bosnia-Herzegovina is giving concrete expression to the strategic partnership between the European Union and NATO for crisis management on the basis of the declarations of the Berlin and Washington summits.

We remain convinced that the development of the ESDP is helping to strengthen the Alliance's European pillar, which remains the foundation of our collective defence.

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In the framework of a comprehensive European Union policy vis-à-vis Bosnia-Herzegovina, France and Germany are contributing, together with their partners, to the country's stabilization. France and Germany note with satisfaction that the preparatory work for Operation Althea, designed to take over from SFOR, to be led by the European Union with recourse to NATO assets and capabilities, is going smoothly. Operation Althea will be a new important application of the so-called "Berlin plus" arrangements between the European Union and NATO.

In August 2004, Eurocorps, in which both countries are fully involved, took command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The Franco-German Brigade staff is taking command of the multinational brigade in Kabul. France also has soldiers in the German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kunduz as well as the German Embassy's office in Herat. In September 2004, Germany set up a second Provincial Reconstruction team in Faisabad. Both our countries have extended their commitment to help with the electoral process. They are thus making a valuable contribution to the country's stabilization.

Since September, France has commanded the NATO operation in Kosovo (KFOR), with Germany remaining the main contributor to the operation. The events of spring 2004 have shown that maintaining an effective military presence on the ground is necessary if we want to avoid new ethnic clashes. Since the regional context remains difficult, we are calling on our allies to maintain their commitment within KFOR.

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Germany and France are actively encouraging the forming of a European security and defence culture. Our two countries welcome the success of the pilot module of the European College for Security and Defence which brings together participants from the 25 European Union member countries, which is being followed by a module in Paris in early November./.