The CESDP and the forging of a european security culture

Résumé 0

The forging pf a ge,io,e Eirpêa, Secirotu a,d Defence Policy (ESDP) will require the parallel construction of the basic elements of a European security culture. For the foreseeable future, this will be limited to situation assessment, approaches to problemsolving and policy-makin, and strategic objectives. However, it must involve the gradual reduction of the divergent patterns which have hitherto marked the approaches of the EU member states: allies and neutrals, “Atlanticists” and “Europeanists”, those favouring power projection and those prioritising territorial defence, emphases on military as opposed to civilian instruments, large states and small states, weapons systems providers and weapons systems consumers, nuclear and non-nuclear states. This articles assesses the challenge of narrowing those gaps in the process of creating a workable ESDP.