William Hague vetos plans for a European military HQ

Published on Monday 18 July 2011 19:34

Foreign Secretary William Hague has blocked plans drawn up by Europe's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for an EU military headquarters.

The controversial proposal, designed to give weight to Europe's security and defence ambitions, will never be accepted by the UK, Mr Hague warned at talks in Brussels yesterday.

A report by Baroness Ashton, the Labour peer elevated to EU foreign policy supremo, drew widespread support from Mr Hague's European counterparts.

But to come into force the plan needs unanimous backing - and Mr Hague said the idea was a British "red line".

He insisted after the meeting: "There is no way we will agree to this, now or in the future."

Mr Hague told his colleagues there were more appropriate ways to develop the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy co-ordination than setting up a joint military headquarters.

He said: "What is really needed is an improvement in defence cooperation and the necessary will to improve the existing structures."

He added there were no "institutional barriers" to the EU countries doing more together on security and defence if they wanted to, for instance in the existing peacekeeping operations in the Balkans.