Europe urged to boost peacekeeping efforts

Brussels, March 10, (dpa/GNA) - Europe should get more involved in global peacekeeping efforts, US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said Monday, during a visit to Brussels.

The United States bears a large share of global security costs, covering two thirds of NATO's budget and more than 28 per cent of UN peacekeeping costs. But economic constraints have led Washington to call on other countries to step up their involvement.

"Twenty years ago, European countries were leaders in peacekeeping," Power said in a speech at the Friends of Europe think tank, adding that at the time, more than 40 per cent of UN blue helmets - or 25,000 troops - came from European forces.

By comparison, faced with today's record demands of more than 190,000 UN troops, she said that just 6,000 came from Europe.

The UN is involved in peacekeeping operations across the world, ranging from missions in Haiti and Kosovo and in African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Mali and South Sudan.

Suggestions have also been floated for the UN to take on a possible peacekeeping role in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, as well as in Libya, if talks there on creating a national unity government succeed.

"UN peacekeeping needs European militaries more than ever," the US diplomat said, citing their extensive training, professionalism and high-end equipment, as well as medical units or reconnaissance teams.

Power's visit comes as the UN prepares to mark its 70th anniversary this year. US President Barack Obama is hosting a summit of world leaders in September aimed at generating a "wave of new commitments" to UN peacekeeping, she said.

The US diplomat also chided Europeans for contributing an overall lower share towards NATO defence spending than Washington does.

This disparity is "not only unsustainable, it is dangerous," Power warned.

She also deplored the fact that the European Union had never used its battlegroups, a quick military response force established in 2007 to intervene in crises.

They "could make a critical contribution to national security," Power said.

"But the battlegroups have not deployed in the eight years since they were created. That is regrettable, given the many worthy causes."

GNA