Winding Up the Machine: How the UK Engages with the CFSP

Wright, Nicholas

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-93470-9_4

Nicholas Wright⁴

Part of the book series: New Perspectives in German Political Studies ((NPG))

513 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter examines what happens when Britain pursues its policy objectives in the CFSP. It discusses British relationships and engagement with key partners, particularly France and Germany, and the issue areas where it seeks to exercise most influence. In particular, the chapter discusses the British ‘narrative’ of CFSP: a defensive engagement intended to prevent either the CFSP’s intergovernmental character or the primacy of NATO from being undermined; and how successful it has been in securing these aims. Overall, the chapter argues that British concerns have largely focused on minimising the CFSP as a potential ‘competitor’ in the achievement of its foreign policy aims and its relationship with other key actors, most notably NATO, particularly in recent years.

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Notes

1.
Interview, DG RELEX, European Commission, Brussels, 2010.
2.
One British official described Cyprus as being the ‘honourable exception’ to this: ‘[It] defines any given issue through the prism of ‘what does this mean for our dispute with Turkey?’ and then just ruthlessly pursues that, no matter what the wider circumstances’. Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
3.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
4.
Interviews, French Permanent Representation, Brussels, (FO1) and General Secretariat of the Council, Brussels (EU1), 2010 and Swedish Permanent Representation, Brussels, May 2012.
5.
Interview, London, 6 December 2010.
6.
Interviews, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London (UKO3) and retired official, Ministry of Defence, 2011.
7.
Telephone Interview, Swedish Permanent Representation, Brussels, 2012.
8.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
9.
Interview, French Permanent Representation, Brussels, 2010 (FO1).
10.
Interview, French Foreign Ministry, Paris, 2011 (FO3).
11.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012. Concern was expressed by the House of Lords European Union Committee that Libya demonstrated how far European military capability ‘relies […] on UK-French involvement. There is a danger that […] a disproportionate burden for European defence will rest on these two nations at a time when Europe’s near abroad remains unstable’ (2012: 9).
12.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
13.
These outlined more concrete steps for their cooperation, including the development of the Combined Joint Expeditionary force, the establishment of a Joint Force Headquarters, and a programme to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (Prime Minister’s Office 2012).
14.
Hansard, HC Deb 20 February 2012, Col. 65WS.
15.
Interview, retired FCO official, 2011.
16.
Interviews, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, (UKO2, UKO3, UKO6), retired FCO official and retired Ministry of Defence official, 2011, and Ministry of Defence, London, 2012 (UKO8).
17.
Interviews, retired FCO official and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London (UKO3), 2011.
18.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
19.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
20.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
21.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
22.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence official, 2011.
23.
Interview, retired FCO official, 2011.
24.
Interview, retired FCO official, 2011.
25.
Interviews, General Secretariat of the Council, Brussels (EU1), DG RELEX, European Commission, Brussels (EU4), French Permanent Representation, Brussels (FO1), German Permanent Representation, Brussels (GO1), 2010; Auswärtiges Amt, Berlin, 2011 (GO3); and Swedish Permanent Representation, Brussels, 2012.
26.
Interview, London, 6 December 2010.
27.
Interview, retired FCO official, 2011.
28.
Interviews, retired FCO official and Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London (UKO3), 2011.
29.
Telephone Interview, Swedish Permanent Representation, 2012.
30.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
31.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
32.
Interviews, DG RELEX, European Commission, 2010 (EU4) and Auswärtiges Amt, Berlin, 2011 (GO4).
33.
Interview, London, 6 December 2010.
34.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London (UKO3) and retired FCO official.
35.
Interview, retired FCO official, 2011.
36.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
37.
Telephone Interview, Swedish Permanent Representation, 2012.
38.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
39.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
40.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
41.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
42.
See Annex II, Presidency Conclusions, Cologne European Council, June 3 and 4 1999 (150/99 REV 1).
43.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2012 (UKO6).
44.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2012 (UKO6).
45.
Telephone Interview, Swedish Permanent Representation, 2012.
46.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
47.
It should be noted that the account of this PSC debate came from a leaked US diplomatic cable (Hellström 2010).
48.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
49.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
50.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).
51.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO2).
52.
Hansard, HC Deb 9 December 2008, Col 419; HC Deb 5 December 2011, Col 5WS.
53.
Interview, Ministry of Defence, London, 2012.
54.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO2).
55.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO2).
56.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
57.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
58.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
59.
Interview, retired Ministry of Defence Official, 2011.
60.
Interview, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, 2011 (UKO3).

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Department of Political Science, University College London, London, UK
Nicholas Wright

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Wright, N. (2019). Winding Up the Machine: How the UK Engages with the CFSP. In: The EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy in Germany and the UK. New Perspectives in German Political Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93470-9_4

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93470-9_4
Published: 12 October 2018
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-93469-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-93470-9
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