{"id":73814,"date":"2016-09-05T13:47:29","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T13:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=0c7cbed7dd38daf447b7db3d13317c00"},"modified":"2016-09-05T13:47:29","modified_gmt":"2016-09-05T13:47:29","slug":"speech-defence-secretary-speaks-at-universite-dete-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=73814","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Defence Secretary speaks at Universit\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9, Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

It\u2019s a privilege to be the first UK Defence Minister to address this illustrious gathering.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s plenty for us to discuss.<\/p>\n

A golden summer in Rio for some of us – but you know what they say it\u2019s the taking part that counts\u2026<\/p>\n

A NATO summit in Warsaw – the most important since the end of the Cold War.<\/p>\n

And the decision of the British people to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n

Beyond that
\n\u2026 growing challenges to European security
\n\u2026 whether from Russian aggression
\n\u2026 whether from Daesh directing and planning attacks against Europe
\n\u2026 whether from cyber-attack, hybrid warfare
\n\u2026 or the still lingering nuclear shadow.<\/p>\n

Let me start with the British people\u2019s decision to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n

The vote to leave the EU was clear. No one should be in any doubt that Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.<\/p>\n

Some say restoring our sovereignty will see us pulling up the drawbridge and stepping back from our global role.<\/p>\n

Nothing could be further from the truth.<\/p>\n

I recall the words of President de Gaulle, when he spoke of France and its role in world affairs in 1964:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn waiting for the sky to clear, France is pursuing, by her own means, that which a European and independent policy can and must be\u201d.<\/p>\n

[\u201cEn attendant que le ciel se d\u00e9couvre, la France poursuit par ses propres moyens ce que peut et doit \u00eatre une politique europ\u00e9enne et ind\u00e9pendante\u201d]<\/p>\n

So we are leaving the EU but the principles of European security remain deterrence, resilience and dialogue, with NATO, the EU and individual states working together to contribute.<\/p>\n

Nobody should be in any doubt about two things: Britain will continue to put our global role with security front and centre and security co-operation with our European and other allies will remain strong.<\/p>\n

After all, history has long schooled us that splendid isolation is not an option
\n\u2026 that our security is fundamentally tied to the continent
\n\u2026 and that we must adapt our response accordingly.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why from the mid-17th to the beginning of the 20th century, London intervened repeatedly
\n\u2026 thwarting the ambitions of princes, kings, emperors and dictators
\n\u2026 to prevent one power dominating Europe at the expense of other states.<\/p>\n

We were as Raymond Aron put it: \u201cFar enough from the continent to be safe from invasion, near enough to be able to intervene there where necessary\u2026\u201d what other academics have called \u201can offshore balancer\u201d.<\/p>\n

But by the end of the First World War we realised that the UK could no longer provide this function alone. So we sought an alliance with the US who had the power to act as a critical counterweight to the ambitions of the Kaiser, Hitler and Stalin.<\/p>\n

That Trans-Atlantic link remains fundamental to the UK and to the whole of Europe.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of World War 2, we recognised that partnership and cooperation needed to be deep rooted on our continent.<\/p>\n

And so we were at the forefront
\n\u2026 signing the 1948 Brussels Treaty with France and the Benelux countries on collective Western European defence
\n\u2026 helping found NATO in 1949
\n\u2026 combining with allies in 1954 to put our signature to the Paris Agreements that established the Western European Union
\n\u2026 and basing large numbers of our forces in Europe \u2013 more than 75000 at the height of the Cold War.<\/p>\n

Since then many things have changed
\n\u2026 the Warsaw Pact has collapsed
\n\u2026 Germany has reunified
\n\u2026 NATO and the EU have expanded
\n\u2026 our Corps in Germany is a thing of the past.<\/p>\n

Yet we remain the same outward-looking, globally-minded country we have always been.<\/p>\n

We still believe in, what Aron also describes, as that \u201cmorality of wisdom\u201d that strikes a balance between the ethics of conviction and the ethics of responsibility.<\/p>\n

So our co-operation with our European and global allies will remain undiminished. We will do whatever it takes to keep our people safe.<\/p>\n

Indeed, as our interests still closely align
\n\u2026 and the threats we face shift and grow
\n\u2026 we see Brexit as a new opportunity
\n\u2026 not to step back but to step up
\n\u2026 recasting our European defence relationship to make it fitter for modern times.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re doing this in three ways:
\nFirst, by strengthening our commitment to NATO.<\/p>\n

At the Summit in Wales two years ago, we showed leadership pledging to continue investing 2 per cent of GDP in Defence.<\/p>\n

Other nations followed suit with France and 19 other allies increasing their investment and helping halt the decline in alliance spending.<\/p>\n

We also became one of the first leaders of NATO\u2019s Very High-Readiness Joint Task Force able to respond in days to emerging threats and will be the framework nation next year.<\/p>\n

Yet, at the Warsaw Summit we upped our commitments even further helping NATO confront concurrent threats to both its Eastern and Southern flanks.<\/p>\n

So we will now be one of four nations
\n\u2026 alongside Canada, Germany, and the United States
\n\u2026 leading a framework battalion \u2013 with a French company
\n\u2026 to deliver an enhanced forward presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.<\/p>\n

These battalions will be defensive in nature, but fully combat capable.<\/p>\n

We are also deploying a Company Group to Poland and delivering the commitments we made through the Trans Atlantic Capability Enhancement and Training initiative, which the UK and France and 13 other NATO allies are engaged in.<\/p>\n

At the same time, we will continue to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a further 4,000 troops undergoing training this year.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, we are helping to project stability on NATO\u2019s southern flank through a new defence capacity building initiative which includes more tailored support in the Black Sea region.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re conducting more training and capacity building inside Iraq \u2013 both with and through the Counter Daesh Coalition.<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re increasing our troop contribution by 10% to help secure Afghanistan\u2019s fledgling democracy.<\/p>\n

Besides this, we\u2019ve reaffirmed our ongoing commitment to our independent nuclear deterrent
\n\u2026 which the UK has assigned to the defence of NATO for over 50 years
\n\u2026 and that makes a vital contribution to European security.<\/p>\n

That contribution was underscored by the Warsaw Summit declaration which stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe independent strategic nuclear forces of the United Kingdom and France have a deterrent role of their own and contribute to the overall security of the alliance. These allies\u2019 separate centres of decision- making contribute to deterrence by complicating the calculations of potential adversaries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming into service in the early 2030s, our Successor submarines will see us through to the 2060s, and help us deter the most extreme threats to our way of life and that of our allies.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the European Union, Britain has been pressing for it to co-operate more with NATO since it brings complementary capabilities such as civilian expertise, development funding and diplomatic clout.<\/p>\n

The EU, as the UK leaves, will have even greater need to strengthen its resilience
\n\u2026 to cope with unexpected hybrid threats such as cyber-attack or energy disruption
\n\u2026 while managing non-military security risks such as the increase in irregular mass migration.<\/p>\n

And, given the overlap in NATO and EU membership, it\u2019s surely in all our interests to ensure the EU doesn\u2019t duplicate existing structures.<\/p>\n

While we remain a member, we remain a full member, deploying Royal Navy ships to help rescue migrants in the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

And as we negotiate our exit from the EU, our commitment to European security will remain undiminished.<\/p>\n

The terror threat demands a united response. Daesh does not distinguish between members of the EU and members of NATO.<\/p>\n

Their target isn\u2019t just a particular city or a particular country but western society as a whole \u2026and those great universal values of \u2026libert\u00e9, \u00e9galit\u00e9 and fraternit\u00e9, and the rule of law\u2026that underpin it.
\nMy second point is that as well as showing our commitment to Europe through multi-lateral relationships we\u2019re bolstering our bilateral ties with like-minded European allies.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re working closely with our Northern Group partners
\n\u2026 leading a Joint Expeditionary Force
\n\u2026 with Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Norway
\n\u2026 that gives us the ability to respond swiftly to emerging situations.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re working more closely with Germany
\n\u2026 with whom both France and the UK have had a complementary partnership for many years
\n\u2026 and with whom we\u2019re deepening cooperation between our respective Services
\n\u2026 to tackle terror threats
\n\u2026 and build the capacity of fragile states.<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re intensifying our close friendship with France.<\/p>\n

One hundred years ago our entente cordiale saw us fighting side-by-side on the Marne, the Somme, and the Aisne.<\/p>\n

Since the Lancaster House Treaties were signed six years ago our entente\u2019s evolved
\n\u2026 with co-operation on all fronts and we look forward to working together with all our friends and partners across Europe \u2026 not least by cooperating between our high tech defence industries.<\/p>\n

That especially applies to France where we want to see companies with strong footprints in both our nations increasingly doing business.<\/p>\n

Such close relationships run with the grain of our existing co-operation at all levels on diplomacy, operations and capability.<\/p>\n

Ours is now an entente profonde.<\/p>\n

And with the successful validation of the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force concept
\n\u2026 as a result of the Exercise GRIFFIN STRIKE in April
\n\u2026 we look forward to your Rafales and our Typhoons
\n\u2026 your Leclercs and our Challengers
\n\u2026 your Charles de Gaulle and our HMS Queen Elizabeth
\n\u2026 operating as one
\n\u2026 facing new challenges
\n\u2026 as an entente superieure.
\nThe terrible atrocities in Paris, in Normandy and Nice, have only cemented our solidarity.<\/p>\n

In a globalised world, the multiple threats Europe faces often emanate far from its shores.<\/p>\n

So my third point is that the UK will continue showing its commitment to European security by defending the international rules-based order.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with M le Drian in urging support for freedom of navigation in the South China Seas, upholding the provisions in the UN Law of the Sea Convention.<\/p>\n

We know the loss of such rights on one side of the world would set a dangerous precedent on the other.<\/p>\n

Nowhere is our shared sense of global responsibility more apparent than action against Daesh.<\/p>\n

Since the overwhelming Parliamentary vote in late 2015 to extend air strikes to Syria
\n\u2026 we\u2019ve been constantly on the offensive
\n\u2026 hitting them hard in their heartlands
\n\u2026 an effort second only to the US.<\/p>\n

In fact, our RAF has not operated at this sustained operational tempo in a single theatre of conflict for a quarter of a century.<\/p>\n

Yet, in Washington recently, M Le Drian and I, along with other colleagues from the international coalition, agreed to keep piling on the pressure to defeat Daesh.<\/p>\n

Against such a foe, deterrence and dialogue are futile.<\/p>\n

Defeat is the only word they will understand.<\/p>\n

And despite exiting the EU, we retain immense global influence
\n\u2026 not just with the biggest defence budget in Europe and the second biggest in NATO
\n\u2026 but as permanent members of the UN Security Council
\n\u2026 the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
\n\u2026 the Five Power Defence Arrangements in the Far East
\n\u2026 and the Five Eyes intelligence partnership.<\/p>\n

We have one of the largest and best connected Defence networks in the world
\n\u2026 with Defence Attach\u00e9s in 77 countries, and non-resident DAs to a further 81 nations
\n\u2026 and we\u2019re proud of our special relationship with the United States
\n\u2026 proud of our shared interests and responsibilities
\n\u2026 and proud that our friendship continues to broaden and deepen.<\/p>\n

Our Trans-Atlantic alliance works for the UK and for Europe making us stronger and better able to meet the threats and challenges of the future.
\nNotably, we\u2019re the only major country in the world not just meeting the NATO target for defence spending but also spending 0.7 per cent of GDP development.<\/p>\n

We regard defence and development as two sides of the same coin – allowing us to tackle local crises early and reduce the risk of regional chaos later on.<\/p>\n

And thanks to our Strategic Defence and Security Review
\n\u2026 with a budget growing year-on-year
\n\u2026 we will continue to invest in stronger Armed Forces
\n \u2026 and in the innovation needed to maintain the modern, effective defence and security capabilities we need.<\/p>\n

So Britain will make Brexit a success; making sure our security and trading relationships stay strong as we forge new ones across the globe.<\/p>\n

Membership of the EU is not, and never has been, a pre-requisite for delivering the security and prosperity of our nations.<\/p>\n

We believed before joining the EU that Britain has a responsibility not just to defend its own security but that of Europe and the global system.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we stood beside you in 1916 fighting for freedom on the fields of the Somme.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we were there together
\n\u2026 in 18 June 1940
\n\u2026our darkest hours
\n\u2026when Churchill pledged Britain would restore freedom to France
\n\u2026and de Gaulle
\n\u2026 in his immortal \u201cappel\u201d declared the \u201cflame of French resistance will not be extinguished\u201d.<\/p>\n

We will still believe that once we have left.<\/p>\n

As the world becomes more dangerous we will remain, to quote the Livre Blanc, \u201da steadfast but independent ally\u201d, putting security front and centre stepping up, and continuing to lead in the conduct of world affairs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today delivered a speech at Universit\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9, Paris, confirming the UK’s commitment to European Security<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73814"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=73814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73814\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=73814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=73814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=73814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}