We believe that European nations, co-operating together, should be able to undertake the most Demanding Crisis management operations up to Corps level.

My own view--and it is not the view of the noble Lord, Lord Hurd, but is my own view--is that if that is the case, it is absurd to suggest, as paragraph 19 of the Defence White Paper does, that an ESDI should be able, "to tackle the most Demanding Crisis management tasks, in operations up to corps level (up to 50,000 to 60,000 personnel, together with appropriate air and naval elements)".

That headline goal requires EU member states to be able, by 2003, to deploy rapidly and sustain up to 60,000 troops, capable of undertaking the most Demanding Crisis management tasks.

EU leaders agreed that, by 2003, they should be able to deploy rapidly and then to sustain for at least a year military forces that are capable of undertaking the most Demanding Crisis management tasks up to corps level - some 60,000 strong.

Without these, the ESDP will not be able to take on the more Demanding Crisis-management operations.