EU member states welcomed some of the ideas proposed by Austria in terms of securing external borders of the bloc by using the military, the plan could be a "useful contribution," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Thursday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th August, 2018) EU member states welcomed some of the ideas proposed by Austria in terms of securing external borders of the bloc by using the military, the plan could be a "useful contribution," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, at an informal meeting of EU defense ministers, Austria presented a plan, which would include the deployment of military forces on the border. Austrian Defense Minister Mario Kunasek stressed that the troops on the border would be under command of the police.
"The Austrian proposal is going the direction of strengthening the civilian-military cooperation ... I think this is a useful contribution that will provide the basis for further work. Member states, indeed, welcomed some of the ideas contained in the paper that was presented by the Austrian presidency," Mogherini told reporters.
The EU foreign policy chief remarked that the European Union was looking into all steps that could strengthen military-civilian cooperation.
Austria's proposal comes as the EU countries are working to tackle illegal immigration into the bloc.
