Autumn 1998 was a time during which the UK consolidated its support for the British arms industry. We review two recent developments. One commentator described the Strategic Defence Review (published in July) as a long search for a justification for maintaining current levels of military expenditure. Also contained within the SDR and associated documents are some particular means of achieving this.
Of particular interest to members of NFPB have been the proposals for the establishment of a Defence Diversification Agency. The White Paper on this followed the Green in November. We are told that more than 80 submissions were made from organisations and individuals, in response to that earlier consultative document. Friends were amongst those who made submissions, collectively and individually. Sadly, the main thrust of the proposals remains intact; the transfer of technology both out of and into the defence from the civil industrial sectors. A Defence Diversification Agency was thus established at the end of 1998, based within the Ministry of Defence's Defence Evaluation and Research agency.
In commenting on the responses received to the Green Paper the MOD writes: "There was a minority view that the proposals did not go far enough, and that the Government should actively seek to promote the conversion of the defence industry into other activities. A number of such comments were based on defence spending in general and arms production in particular". and it goes on to say: "Whilst recognising the strength of individuals' convictions, the Government believes in a strong defence both to defend the UK and to act as a force for good in the world."
The most significant change in the White Paper from the Green Paper is that the proposals now include the establishment of a Defence Diversification Council to guide and advise the DDA, with membership drawn from across industry, local and national government and from Trades Unions. There were apparently a number of criticisms of the DDA being based within the MOD rather than being wholly or partly within the Department of Trade and Industry. It is proposed that it stays within the MOD, the White Paper says, "for the time being, at least".
We need to keep a close critical eye on the activities of the DDA as it gets underway this year, and to find other opportunities to let our government know of our strong personal convictions about the level of expenditure on the military and our visions for what could really be forces for good in the world. We also need to look for ways of sharing our concerns with local government and trades unions involved in the Defence Diversification Council. NFPB would be interested to hear from any Friend with contact with people who are involved.
Another milestone towards the end of last year came in the form of an agreement, signed at the Farnborough air show in September. The Organisation for Joint Armamaments Cooperation (OCCAR, from its French name) was established by this treaty, signed by the UK, France, Italy and Germany.
In a press release after the signing of the treaty George Robertson said: "An increasing proportion of the UK's equipment requirements are likely to be met by collaborative projects in the future, and OCCAR was created with the specific aim of improving the way these projects are managed. ... The four OCCAR nations do not view the organisation as an exclusive club. We expect to extend membership in due course to other nations who accept the organisation's underlying principles and are participants in future projects. OCCAR thus has the potential to act as a building block towards an eventual European Armaments Agency. It will also support the major European defence equipment producers in their determination to maintain a strong and competitive industrial base."
One of the main driving forces in this direction is stated as being the series of mergers by major US defence manufacturers. Whilst British Aerospace is amongst those who would not be averse to transatlantic collaboration, the European governments have been keen in recent months to promote European mergers.There have been hurdles, in particular the French government's large financial stake in its major defence firms, but we are now well on the way to seeing the establishment of a European aerospace company, with other areas of military hardware manufacture following close behind.
One of these sectors issued a statement at the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris last June: "The Land Manufacturers Associations for the leading European nations issued a strong call for the establishment of a competitive European defence market ... [They] believe that a competitive European defence market requires the harmonisation of operational requirements and should take into account all the significant European industrial capabilities to enhance a European defence tecnology base ... [and] asked that European governments... give strong support to the other sectors of the defence industry, mainly by the harmonisation and development of new procurement programmes."
The wider context for these moves is the steady movement towards a Common Foreign and Security policy for the European Union. Whilst NATO is keen to see the EU develop as its European Pillar, the UK and France in December signed an agreement for increased military co-operation.
Some Friends will be alarmed even by the indication of a European army. Others, however, have suggested that putting the UK's 'defence' matters into a European context might help to moderate some of their excesses. With the elections to the European Parliament coming up this year, (June 10), 1999 will be an important time for asking questions and seeking ways of getting these issues discussed more widely. Why not ask your MP as well as your prospective MEPs about their views on these developments - and perhaps also for information about them. It is important that our political representatives should know that there are people who are concerned about these issues, and that the interests of arms industries and European security policies are not assumed by everyone to be paramount.
