Heads of Government have now asked us to move up several gears. We must be in a position to act fast rather than dithering around while we try to plot a path through the bureaucratic jungle. All this was long overdue. Dr. Javier Solana , the EU's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy , is determined to maintain the momentum from the Helsinki summit and work towards the full realization of a European Security and Defense Policy. We cannot respond to this by pretending these problems do not exist.
Transnational problems require transnational solutions.
The development of an effective ESDP is an important contribution. It will give us the ability, where appropriate and whenever necessary, to show that the Union is not prepared to stand idly by in the face of crises. Nor always to let others shoulder responsibility. It will be sign that the European integration dreamed by Europe's founding fathers has come of age. There have been a number of very significant steps over the past year that have paved the way for the realization of the European security and defense policy.