Annan backs EU rapid reaction forces

RAPID reaction forces, currently being established by EU nations, will be crucial to the goals of the United Nations, Secretary General Kofi Annan told the Forum on Europe yesterday.

However, Mr Annan also called for EU nations to dig deeper and give more towards peacekeeping efforts.

Speaking at Dublin Castle on the development of the EU's battle groups, Mr Annan said: "The EU is in a position to provide specialised skills that our largest troop contributors may not be able to give us and to deploy more rapidly than we can."

However, Mr Annan warned the development of battle groups should not be to the detriment of current peacekeeping commitments.

"Today, less than one-in-10 UN peacekeepers is from an EU country. And in Africa, where most of our peacekeepers are deployed, the proportion drops to less than one-in-20," he said, while pointing out that demand for UN peacekeepers was steadily increasing.

With demand for peacekeeping personnel jumping by as much as 50%, Mr Annan paid tribute to Ireland's troop commitment but said another 30,000 troops were urgently needed.

Mr Annan said a high-level panel charged with examining the role of the UN in today's society was due to report in December.

The report will then be considered by world leaders when they meet in New York next September.

"It will be their responsibility to find common ground and make bold decisions about the future of the international system if the 21st century is to have the kind of United Nations it so desperately needs," said Mr Annan.

"If 2003 was a year of deep division, and 2004 has been a year of sober reflection, 2005 must be a year of bold action," he said.

Commenting on Ireland's possible participation in any battle groups, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said the triple-lock system would remain in place whereby only missions agreed to by the UN, the Government and the Dáil would be acceptable for Irish troops.

"It is hoped that the formation of this rapid response capability will enable the EU to respond effectively to situations at the UN's request, where it has often been unable to do so in the past."

However, Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell said the triple-lock system only served to prevent Ireland deciding for itself in which operations it should engage.

In response Mr Annan said any plans to boost UN capability would not infringe on the "sovereign decision of a government to decide when to participate".