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Borrell: EU must strengthen its military capacity

Published 30 July 2004 - Updated 29 January 2010
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USA
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The newly elected president of the European Parliament, Spanish Socialist Josep Borrell, has chosen to challenge US dominance in no uncertain terms.

Background: 
The US has come to represent "force without law" Josep Borrell, the newly elected president of the European Parliament, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on 29 July. He called for the EU to strengthen its military capacities. "Europe cannot just be an intellectual reserve of the American empire," said Borrell.

Along with the Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero, elected in March 2004, he advocated withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq in a major policy shift that ended the strong ties between the white house and Zapators predecessor, the conservative José Maria Aznar.

While calling for more unity on foreign policy issues, Borrell admitted that the EU is split with "Eastern Europe and the UK on one side, and the rest of Europe on the other".

The comments from Borrell came as the European Parliament established a new sub-committee on Security and Defense policy.

 

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