The European Union is choosing to side with the United States and Britain to stop attacks by Houthi rebels and protect container ships carrying goods from Asia to Europe via the Red Sea. EU High Representative Josep Borrell said at the end of the Foreign Affairs meeting that “we have agreed in principle” to establish a European naval mission to protect shipping between the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal, and “we now need to move towards unanimity”. Council in Brussels. Borrell thus addresses the call of Rome, Paris and Berlin, which asked the European Union to “demonstrate its willingness and ability to act as a global security actor also in the maritime sector”. Details of the European mission are not defined at this time. Speaking at the press conference, Borrell said, “I cannot specify the time, but I can say that no one is against it. Maybe some countries will not participate, but not participating is one thing, opposing it is another,” he added and stated that this will happen in the coming weeks. It will be necessary to work according to the rules and modus operandi. This is not just a matter of passively escorting a merchant ship, but of countering a possible attack, this was Borrell’s line.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that Italy’s European military mission, carried out together with France and Germany, “is an important step towards a real European defense. Italy is ready to do its part.” And actually the hypothesis is to send an Italian navy ship on the mission.
Minister Tajani reminded that “exports represent approximately 40% of our gross domestic product, we cannot allow a significant part of our economy to be threatened by the aggression of the Houthi rebels. Our Navy is already mobilizing to defend our merchant ships, but a new European mission is needed.” .
The frigate ‘Martinengo’, currently operating in the region to protect national merchant ships from Houthi attacks, will become the command ship of Atalanta, another European counter-piracy operation operating in nearby waters, from 8 February. Details regarding the individual contributions of the countries to the new mission that will participate in the Agenor operation established in the Strait of Hormuz with the French initiative have not yet been defined. The issue will likely be discussed in Brussels, where a meeting of EU defense ministers is planned for January 30 and 31.
Rules of engagement
Tajani continues: “Regarding the rules of engagement, we think that this operation could also include today’s mission in the Strait of Hormuz, but with different rules of engagement, more militarily strong, aimed at protecting maritime traffic. In our proposal, the Atlanta mission, which Spain does not want to undertake other missions, would also remain .Protection of merchant ships from Hormuz to the Red Sea will be a defense system that, in my opinion, should be strong, able to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles, “explains Tajani.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
