Hague rules out EU military HQ ‘now or in the future’

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.

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 the 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 (CSDP) coordination 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 said 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.

CSDP cooperation could be stepped up by strengthening relations between member states’ national headquarters and the current EU institutions, and by closer coordination of civil and military plans.

British objections to the Ashton plan reflect concern about the impact on the Nato alliance if the EU sets up a military headquarters.