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25th June 2003
Governments support for EU armaments agency a total disgrace - Sinn Fein
Speaking during Dáil statements on the European Council meeting in Greece Sinn Fein leader in the Dáil Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin described the Irish Governments support for the establishment of a European armaments agency as a ``total disgrace''. The Cavan/Monaghan TD also said that the proposed EU Constitution had ``huge implications'' for the people of Ireland and that Sinn Fein would not allow the Government to take the people for granted on this issue.
Deputy Ó Caoláin said: ``The European Council meeting in Greece took place against the backdrop of continuing revelations about how the Anglo-American alliance used lies and deceit to justify their invasion of Iraq. Now the illegal military occupation of Iraq is descending into repression, civil strife and guerrilla war.
``Instead of doing what is really needed, and that is reforming and strengthening the United Nations, the EU leaders at Greece took another major step in the militarisation of the EU as they attempt to create a political and military power bloc, in a futile effort to balance with the US. ``The Irish Government should have no part in this. But on the contrary the Taoiseach and his fellow EU leaders agreed to establish in 2004 an intergovernmental agency ``in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments''. It is a total disgrace and absolutely unacceptable that the Irish Government was party to this agreement.
``The Draft EU Constitution proposed to establish a European Armaments Agency, the basis for a European military industrial complex. This is totally contrary to our belief that multilateral disarmament - and multilateral nuclear disarmament in particular - should be a central goal of both Ireland and the EU.
``This is not a people's process. The demand for an EU Constitution and the transformation of the EU from a partnership of states to a single state does not come from the peoples of Europe. It is driven by a political and bureaucratic elite.
``We are opposed to the development of the European Union into a state - therefore we do not accept the argument that the EU must have a Constitution, including a President and a Foreign Minister.
``The Draft Constitution gives the EU a single legal personality for the first time, makes fundamental changes in the structures of the EU and gives those structures more powers. The effect is to shift the balance of power yet further from sovereign national parliaments and towards the EU to take the single biggest step so far in the creation of an EU superstate.
``The proposed Constitution has huge implications for Ireland. The Irish Government has already taken the people for granted in the context of the Nice Treaty. We will not allow them to do so on the issue of this proposed Constitution.'' ENDS
Full text follows
The European Council meeting in Greece took place against the backdrop of continuing revelations about how the Anglo-American alliance used lies and deceit to justify their invasion of Iraq. No weapons of mass destruction have been found and no evidence of their existence. The United Nations weapons inspectors have not been allowed to return even though it was the alleged non-co-operation of Iraq with those inspectors that was used to justify the war. The head of the weapons inspectors team, Hans Blix, has been sharply critical of the way the process was abused by the US and British governments. And now the illegal military occupation of Iraq is descending into repression, civil strife and guerrilla war.
The main focus of the summit was foreign policy and much was made of the agreement reached in the wake of divisions in the EU during the invasion of Iraq. The Council concluded that ``the development of transatlantic relations on an equal footing remains of fundamental importance in every domain not only for the two sides but for the international community''. But of course the transatlantic relationship is on anything but an equal footing. The British joined the US invasion regardless of differences with their EU partners. The Bush and Blair governments rode roughshod over the United Nations and disregarded opposition in Europe.
What has the EU chosen to do in these circumstances? Instead of doing what is really needed, and that is reforming and strengthening the United Nations, the EU leaders at Greece took another major step in the militarisation of the EU as they attempt to create a political and military power bloc, in a futile effort to balance with the US.
The Irish Government should have no part in this. But on the contrary the Taoiseach and his fellow EU leaders agreed to establish in 2004 an intergovernmental agency ``in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments''. This agency will develop ``defence capabilities in the field of crisis management, promoting and enhancing European armaments cooperation, strengthening the European defence industrial and technological base and creating a competitive European defence equipment market''. It is a total disgrace and absolutely unacceptable that the Irish Government was party to this agreement.
The Draft EU Constitution which came out of the Convention and which was presented to the EU leaders in Greece, proposed to establish a European Armaments Agency, the basis for a European military industrial complex. This is totally contrary to our belief that multilateral disarmament - and multilateral nuclear disarmament in particular - should be a central goal of both Ireland and the EU. The meeting in Greece agreed on a process of negotiation of the Draft Constitution at an Inter-Governmental Conference. Yet the same meeting, in establishing an intergovernmental defence agency, pre-empted this process.
Of course this is not a people's process. The demand for an EU Constitution and the transformation of the EU from a partnership of states to a single state does not come from the peoples of Europe. It is driven by a political and bureaucratic elite. It is widely accepted that there needs to be simplification and consolidation of existing EU treaties but this should not be used to advance the superstate project.
We are opposed to the development of the European Union into a state therefore we do not accept the argument that the EU must have a Constitution, including a President and a Foreign Minister.
The Draft Constitution has been portrayed as a necessary consolidation and simplification of existing Treaties. But it is much more than that. The Draft Constitution gives the EU a single legal personality for the first time, makes fundamental changes in the structures of the EU and gives those structures more powers. The effect is to shift the balance of power yet further from sovereign national parliaments and towards the EU to take the single biggest step so far in the creation of an EU superstate.
The proposed Constitution has huge implications for Ireland. Yet there is little public awareness of what is taking place. I have shown how a key defence aspect of the document is being implemented before the draft even goes to the Inter-Governmental Conference. The Irish Government has already taken the people for granted in the context of the Nice Treaty. We will not allow them to do so on the issue of this proposed Constitution.
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