68 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the statement by the representative of the EU for foreign and security policy (details supplied) that the EU must acquire a capacity for crisis management, including a military capacity; if this statement accords with his own policy; and the plans, if any, he has to discuss the matter with Mr. Solana. [23908/99]

The article by Javier Solana in a recent issue of Le Monde ranges across a number of issues. On the specific point of capacities for Petersberg Tasks raised by the Deputy, this is in line with the commitment to Petersberg Tasks in the Treaty of Amsterdam and the approach set out in the Cologne conclusions of the European Council in June of this year. The Cologne conclusions emphasised the importance of developing the EU's capability for non-military crisis management also. The Finnish Presidency intends to submit progress reports on both the military and non-military aspect of crisis management to the forthcoming Helsinki European Council next month. I refer the Deputy to the answer I gave in this House to Deputy Gay Mitchell on 2 November.

I have known Javier Solana for some years, since we were both Ministers for Foreign Affairs in 1992. I have met him on a number of occasions. Recently, in his capacity as High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, he attended the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on the 15 November. I was glad to see him assuming his important EU responsibilities. He is well aware of Ireland's views. At the recent Council meeting, I underlined the important and positive role which he could play in bringing EU influence to bear, including for conflict prevention, at the earliest possible stage of a potential crisis, in accordance with the objectives of the Treaty of Amsterdam.