International security

EU should have role in Syria talks & own military HQ - Juncker’s annual address

The EU should play a part in Syria peace negotiations and have its own military force “to complement NATO,” European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said in his annual address to the European Parliament.

The EC president insisted it was unthinkable for the European Union not to take part in the negotiations to resolve the war in Syria, and proposed developing a common European strategy for the war-torn Middle East country.

“The consequences for Europe of this conflict are immediate but where [is] the Union, where are the member states, in the negotiations to try to solve this conflict?” Juncker asked.

“I’m asking for us to draw up a European strategy for Syria,” he added.

He suggested that Europe needs a general minister of foreign affairs to represent the common interests of the Union on all international political platforms, including the Syrian crisis negotiation table. He recommended Federica Mogherini, who already partly does this job.