Commenting on a request by France for help with its military operations abroad and support in its fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, Estonia's Defense Minister Hannes Hanso said Estonia is ready to support France.
Minister: Estonia is ready to help France
17th November 2015, 16:09
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«The wish of France is cleary understandable,» Hanso told BNS from the EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels. The minister said that although by asking for help France evoked the provision of the Lisbon Treaty dealing with solidarity of member states in the event of an attack on one of them, France was not asking for an input from the EU as a whole but for bilateral inputs from member states.
«As the representative of Estonia I said it out that Estonia is ready to support France if necessary,» Hanso said. «It will become clear in the coming few weeks whether or not France is interested in Estonia's contribution.»
The contribution of Estonia may be military or political. Likewise, Estonia may provide civilian assets to France.
«No decisions have been made and no proposals have been received,» the minister added.
European Union defense ministers on Tuesday unanimously backed France's request for help with military missions in the wake of the Paris attacks.
«France has requested aid and assistance in accordance with article 42-7. It's an article that has never been used before in the history of our union,» EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, referring to part of the EU treaties that provides for solidarity of member states in the event one of them is attacked.
«Today the EU through the voices of all the member states unanimously expressed its strongest full support and readiness to give the assistance needed,» she told a press conference in Brussels with French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
«France will be in contact bilaterally in coming hours and days to express the support it requires and the EU will ensure the greatest effectiveness in our common response,» Mogherini added.
The French minister said the EU's support was a «political act of great significance.» Le Drian said it would «allow us in the hours to come to have bilateral talks where necessary» with other EU states to establish what aid France needed.
This aid could either be in support of France's Syria airstrikes but also in other theatres, adding that France "can't be everywhere at the same time."