The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, stated this Wednesday that the European Union will decide this Wednesday to launch a maritime security mission in the Red Sea “Aspides”, an which Spain has announced that it will not take part.
In statements to the media upon his arrival at the informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels, Josep Borrell indicated that one of the topics they will address at the meeting is “the security challenge in the Red Sea and the creation of a new navy. “The European Union’s mandate to participate in maritime security against attacks by the Houthi militias in Yemen.
“I am sure a decision will be made. Not all Member States will be willing to take part, but I hope that no one will oppose it.. “If you don’t want to take part, you should simply resign,” he emphasized. The High Representative trusted that “The mission can be started on the 17th of this month“, in which Spain has announced that it does not want to participate. In this regard, Defense Minister Margarita Robles is attending the meeting but did not make any statements upon her arrival.
“We have to decide which country will take command of the armed forces, where the headquarters will be and what naval resources the member states will provide,” Borrell noted. “You know that ‘Atalanta’ is in Spain, that it has taken command, the headquarters is in Rota in Spain, and it depends on who will take command.” The location of the headquarters of the new mission is being determined.
“I hope that this will be decided today, and this operation in the Red Sea has a name, ‘Aspides’, which means protector, and that is the purpose of protecting ships, intercepting attacks and enemy ships, and not taking part in any “Type of actions against the Houthis that only block Houthi attacks on ships,” he explained.
“It is certainly an important mission,” he stressed, adding that “many European companies have asked us to do this because their business model is suffering greatly from rising costs and the need to go to South Africa and continue everything.” Europe. That affects costs, it also affects prices and it affects inflation, so it’s natural for us that we try to avoid that risk,” he added.