Vondra: Europe to face problems with funding of missions

Prague, Nov 14 (CTK) - Due to the economic crisis, Europe will face a
problem with complying with the U.S. request to increase the funds for
foreign military missions, Czech Vice Prime Minister for EU Affairs
Alexandr Vondra told CTK Friday.

The effort to find a solution will be one of the tasks of Czech EU
presidency, Vondra said.

"Europe will soon hear from the new U.S. president a request to increase
its contribution to some of the ongoing operations. Without any doubt,
Afghanistan will be in the first place," Vondra said.

Europe will then deal with the question of whether it has the capacities
and whether it can provide them, Vondra said.

The Czech Republic will take up the six-month EU presidency in January when
Barack Obama will assume the post of U.S. president.

Unlike NATO, the EU was not primarily established as a security political
organisation, but politicians should have the courage to invest in defence,
Vondra said.

"When fulfilling its military ambitions, the EU should assume a considerate
approach," Vondra said.

"If Europe is to be able to react to the request from its crucial ally,
above all, it will have to have the capacities, which is not always the
case," Vondra said.

Vondra said the current European defence policy budget amounted to the
equivalent of 200 billion crowns. Forty-five percent of the sum is given by
two countries, Britain and France.

Only five European countries contribute with two percent of GDP to
security, which is considered the optimal proportion. Five countries spend
less than one percent of GDP.

"It goes without saying that with the economic situation we are facing the
hope that the trend will be reversed in the next years is small," Vondra
said.