The UN can be proud of having enabled Ivory Coast to regain legality. France is honoured to have made its military force available to the UN, with skill, reserve and professionalism, in the service of peace. France has also made a commitment in Libya, along with its partners, notably European, in the name of the same imperative – that of preventing massacres that no-one wants to see. Europeans risk being increasingly confronted with these types of issues. The refusal of war is one of the great successes of European unification. It prospered for many years under the umbrella of our American allies. It has radiated through a more peaceful world and, very probably, has won many hearts worldwide. And yet, there will always be circumstances where the use of force, limited, shared and recognised, will be necessary in order to re-establish legality, defend humanity and ensure security, and Europe must now face up to these situations more resolutely. Gaddafi's Libya rejects even the idea of any kind of humanitarian intervention and continues its exactions against its own people, justifying, were that necessary, the fact that certain Member States refuse to accept the situation and have committed to protecting the Libyan people.
Although it is difficult to imagine that European institutions are currently in a position to react in the same way as in Abidjan, European States should be congratulated for having agreed to undertake such high risk action. It is difficult but it must continue to the end. Then Europe will have shown proof of determination and real commitment in favour of human rights, the state of law and peace.
Could this be a new route by which Europe will rediscover its voice?
