This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/22/uk-military-eu-german-minister
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| UK would jeopardise military standing by leaving EU, says German minister | UK would jeopardise military standing by leaving EU, says German minister |
| (4 months later) | |
| Britain's standing as a leading military power with the ability to influence events beyond its own borders will be jeopardised if the country leaves the European Union, the German minister of defence has warned. | Britain's standing as a leading military power with the ability to influence events beyond its own borders will be jeopardised if the country leaves the European Union, the German minister of defence has warned. |
| In an interview with the Guardian, Thomas de Maizière insisted the defence implications for Britain, Europe and Nato would be profound, and said this was an aspect of the argument David Cameron did not appear to have recognised. | In an interview with the Guardian, Thomas de Maizière insisted the defence implications for Britain, Europe and Nato would be profound, and said this was an aspect of the argument David Cameron did not appear to have recognised. |
| "This is not mentioned by David Cameron in our discussions, but for us especially, it is important," said De Maizière, who is a close political ally of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. | "This is not mentioned by David Cameron in our discussions, but for us especially, it is important," said De Maizière, who is a close political ally of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. |
| "If Great Britain leaves the EU, it would be a great disappointment to us. It would weaken Nato, it would weaken the British influence within Nato. I think from a military point of view the disadvantages for Great Britain would be bigger than the advantages." | "If Great Britain leaves the EU, it would be a great disappointment to us. It would weaken Nato, it would weaken the British influence within Nato. I think from a military point of view the disadvantages for Great Britain would be bigger than the advantages." |
| De Maizière said he knew he was intervening in a domestic debate, but argued it was too important to stand to one side, particularly with the potential military consequences for the UK's standing in the world. | De Maizière said he knew he was intervening in a domestic debate, but argued it was too important to stand to one side, particularly with the potential military consequences for the UK's standing in the world. |
| "I am not talking about economic issues or social issues, or whether you drive on the left or the right side of the road, I am talking about security. I am talking about British influence beyond its own borders. I think it is part of the British tradition that Britain has to play a role in the world. Outside the EU it would not lose a role, but it would reduce their own influence and this cannot be in the interests of Great Britain. | "I am not talking about economic issues or social issues, or whether you drive on the left or the right side of the road, I am talking about security. I am talking about British influence beyond its own borders. I think it is part of the British tradition that Britain has to play a role in the world. Outside the EU it would not lose a role, but it would reduce their own influence and this cannot be in the interests of Great Britain. |
| "We in Germany would lose a strong partner for a pro-Atlantic co-operation with America and a pragmatic British way to deal with security issues." | "We in Germany would lose a strong partner for a pro-Atlantic co-operation with America and a pragmatic British way to deal with security issues." |
| Under pressure from Eurosceptics in his own party, and with Ukip support growing, Cameron has promised a simple in-out referendum on membership of the EU if the Conservatives win the next election. | Under pressure from Eurosceptics in his own party, and with Ukip support growing, Cameron has promised a simple in-out referendum on membership of the EU if the Conservatives win the next election. |
| During the announcement in January, the prime minister warned that disillusionment with the EU was at an "all-time high", and said he wanted to renegotiate Britain's role in the EU before he could pledge his support for staying in. | During the announcement in January, the prime minister warned that disillusionment with the EU was at an "all-time high", and said he wanted to renegotiate Britain's role in the EU before he could pledge his support for staying in. |
| Germany and France have said the UK cannot cherrypick its membership, and De Maizière made it clear that Berlin needed strong UK support within the EU to counter French hopes of weakening Nato at the expense of Brussels. | Germany and France have said the UK cannot cherrypick its membership, and De Maizière made it clear that Berlin needed strong UK support within the EU to counter French hopes of weakening Nato at the expense of Brussels. |
| "France has asked us to take more lead within the EU on defence. France is not in favour of a stronger role for Nato. The UK is just the opposite," he said. | "France has asked us to take more lead within the EU on defence. France is not in favour of a stronger role for Nato. The UK is just the opposite," he said. |
| Germany has also been irked by public demands from the UK and the US for Berlin to spend more money on its military, to bolster Nato's defences at a time when Washington has made Asia its priority. | Germany has also been irked by public demands from the UK and the US for Berlin to spend more money on its military, to bolster Nato's defences at a time when Washington has made Asia its priority. |
| De Maizière, 59, made it clear he was not minded to take advice from countries that were cutting their defence budgets; the UK slashed defence spending by 8% in the 2010 strategic defence and security review, which led to 60,000 civilian and military job losses, and the loss of equipment such as the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the entire fleet of Harrier jump jets. | De Maizière, 59, made it clear he was not minded to take advice from countries that were cutting their defence budgets; the UK slashed defence spending by 8% in the 2010 strategic defence and security review, which led to 60,000 civilian and military job losses, and the loss of equipment such as the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the entire fleet of Harrier jump jets. |
| "For the last five years, the German defence budget has been quite stable. Nearly no reduction, and in the future it will remain stable. This is nearly unique in Europe," he said. "Of the bigger countries, only Poland is in a similar position. I see reductions in Great Britain and France. I am not criticising that. There are good reasons for that. But if we keep the line, and they don't, I would like to learn the [reasons why] you hear sometimes we should have more commitments than they themselves. I am speaking frankly." | "For the last five years, the German defence budget has been quite stable. Nearly no reduction, and in the future it will remain stable. This is nearly unique in Europe," he said. "Of the bigger countries, only Poland is in a similar position. I see reductions in Great Britain and France. I am not criticising that. There are good reasons for that. But if we keep the line, and they don't, I would like to learn the [reasons why] you hear sometimes we should have more commitments than they themselves. I am speaking frankly." |
| De Maizière said other European countries looked to Germany to take a lead in economic and military matters, but then balked at the way Berlin wanted to do things. "In the euro [banking] crisis, when some countries call for German leadership, they mean Germany should pay more. They criticise us when we say leadership means we, Europe, shouldn't spend so much raising debts. But when we say this, they say this perhaps is not good leadership. You can't have the cake and eat it. When the leader only fulfils the wishes of the others, that is not leadership." | De Maizière said other European countries looked to Germany to take a lead in economic and military matters, but then balked at the way Berlin wanted to do things. "In the euro [banking] crisis, when some countries call for German leadership, they mean Germany should pay more. They criticise us when we say leadership means we, Europe, shouldn't spend so much raising debts. But when we say this, they say this perhaps is not good leadership. You can't have the cake and eat it. When the leader only fulfils the wishes of the others, that is not leadership." |
| He made clear that Germany had been urging Nato to adopt a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan long before it was finally adopted, but had been sneered at for suggesting the military approach could not work on its own. | He made clear that Germany had been urging Nato to adopt a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan long before it was finally adopted, but had been sneered at for suggesting the military approach could not work on its own. |
| EU crime opt-out 'puts Britain's security at risk', page 8 | EU crime opt-out 'puts Britain's security at risk', page 8 |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |