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Defense - European Defense
Interview given by Michèle Alliot-Marie, Minister of Defense, to "Europe 1" (excerpts)
Paris, September 19, 2004
EUROPEAN GENDARMERIE FORCE Q. – Europe has today created its own gendarmerie. In the margins of the European Defence Ministers' meeting in The Netherlands, the French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese ministers have created, on paper of course for the time being, a European Gendarmerie Force. Its permanent headquarters will be set up in Vicenza in Italy next month. On the line from Noordwijk we have Defence Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie. What will a European gendarmerie do?
THE MINISTER – It's designed to address the situation we find in nearly all crisis-exit scenarios: there's no longer any military action and, at the same time, the situation, which appears calm, isn't totally stabilized and can even give rise to considerable violence. The police forces aren't at that point capable of coping with the situation. The gendarmerie is a police force with a military status whose skill and training enable it to operate in a whole range of situations, i.e. from the most acute crisis to a totally normal situation. So it's the force most suited to the kind of situation we experienced in Kosovo last March. Q. – That means it wouldn't be reserved solely for the European Union operations?
THE MINISTER – No, of course not. It could operate in theatres outside Europe. For example, we've got several gendarmerie units in Côte d'Ivoire. It's this "model" which could be used in other situations. (...) Q. – How many men would make up the force and when would it become operational?
THE MINISTER – We're starting off with the idea of having a force of 800 men which would be ready to operate from the beginning of 2005 with a permanent headquarters of around thirty or forty staff. IRAQ/FRENCH HOSTAGES Q. – (...) Has there been any development in the situation of the French hostages, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot?
THE MINISTER – All the ministries involved, including of course the Defence Ministry, are constantly devoting maximum efforts and resources to this operation. As you'll understand, in this extremely sensitive affair where the lives of two of our compatriots are in danger, there has to be the greatest discretion. (...)./.
Embassy of France in the United States - September 23, 2004
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