Fighting Someone Else's Battles?
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fighting Someone Else’s Battles? Norway’s Cooperation with the European Union on Security and Defence Kathinka Louise Rinvik PECOS4094: Master’s thesis Peace and Conflict Studies (PECOS) Dep. of Political Science, Faculty for Social Sciences UNIVERSITY OF OSLO Spring 2014 Word Count: 34 999 II Fighting Someone Else’s Battles? Norway’s Cooperation with the European Union on Security and Defence III © Kathinka Louise Rinvik 2014 Fighting Someone Else’s Battles? Norway’s Cooperation with the European Union on Security and Defence Kathinka Louise Rinvik http://www.duo.uio.no/ Trykk: Reprosentralen, Universitetet i Oslo Cover picture: Norwegian crew on KNM Fridtjof Nansen during EU-led Operation Atalanta IV Abstract While not a member of the European Union, Norway is the non-member that contributes to most of its operations. Traditionally, the level of democratic control has been lower in security and defence policies because it has been the preserve of the executive, and because an effective policy requires secrecy and flexibility. However, there has been a ‘democratic turn’ in security studies the last couple of decades. One result is that some argue that it is as relevant to examine the degree of democracy in foreign, security and defence policies as in any other areas. One of the goals defined in Norwegian security policy is to maintain Norwegian sovereignty and manoeuvrability. The Norwegian Armed Forces are subject to civilian control, and by having a political leader there is a clear link to the principle of democratic control over the military powers. Nevertheless, not many questions are raised concerning the democratic legitimacy of Norway’s cooperation with the EU on security and defence. This thesis draws on different methodological approaches in order to get a fuller picture of the cooperation, asking whether the political or the military aspect of the cooperation has the biggest democratic weaknesses and what might explain the further will to cooperate. Key words: ARMED FORCES – COMMON SECURITY AND DEFENCE POLICY – DEMOCRACY – DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT – EUROPEAN UNION –– NORDIC BATTLE GROUP – OPERATION ATALANTA – SOVEREIGNTY V VI Acknowledgements This thesis is the result of my lifelong deep fascination with the EU as well as for security and defence policy. It is a privilege to have had the opportunity to combine two passions! There are many people who deserve my never-ending gratitude for helping me through this process: I am first of all thankful to my supervisor Nils Petter Gleditsch who took on the supervising in January after some initial difficulties. He did so with an optimism and interest which was pivotal for the finishing months of work. To my friends and coworkers at Folk og Forsvar for providing me with time and understanding, as well as comforting words, during busy writing periods. Also, special thanks to my colleague Lieutenant Commander Lars Andreas Rognan for helping me get in touch with useful informants in the Norwegian Armed Forces. I am of course also thankful to all of those who let me interview them for this thesis, for being willing to take time from their busy schedules and talk to me about their work and experiences. My friends Irene and Karoline deserve my gratitude for useful comments and discussions, so do also Henrik, Ingrid and Cecilie for sympathy during rough patches. I am thankful to my mother, for supporting me in all my endeavors. To the love of my life, my fiancé Øivind, without whom my life would be but a bleak imprint of what it is today. For useful comments and discussions, endless love, patience and support, through both ups and downs, and for (still) wanting to spend the rest of his life with me! Last, but definitively not least, I am grateful to my beloved father, who never got to see the finished result and who is deeply missed, but is nevertheless always watching over me and reminding me that I can do whatever I set my mind to. For all of your help I am forever grateful, and the final responsibility for any faults and errors in this thesis are entirely my own. VII VIII If you’re never in over your head, how will you know how tall you are? T.S. Eliot IX X Table of Contents List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. XV List of Translation of Official Norwegian Names................................................................. XVI List of Tables and Figures .................................................................................................... XVII Chapter 1: Introduction 1.0 Presentation of the Subject ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Question ................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Fields of Study ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Previous Studies ................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Outline of the Thesis ............................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework 2.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Democratic Deficit: What is it? ............................................................................................ 9 2.1.1 Democratic Deficit in Security and Defence Policy ................................................... 10 2.2 Representative Democracy: Input and Output ................................................................... 11 2.2.1 Input ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.2.2 Output .......................................................................................................................... 13 2.3 Why Countries Contribute in International Operations ..................................................... 14 Chapter 3: Research Methods 3.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 17 3.1 Research Design: Case Study ............................................................................................. 18 3.1.1. Selection of In-depth Studies ..................................................................................... 18 3.2 Methodological Approach: Triangulation .......................................................................... 20 3.3 Data .................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Document Analysis ..................................................................................................... 20 3.3.2 Interviews .................................................................................................................... 22 3.3.2.1 Selecting Informants ............................................................................................ 23 XI 3.3.2.2 Conducting Interviews ......................................................................................... 23 3.4 Potential for Inferences ...................................................................................................... 24 3.4.1 Validity and Reliability ............................................................................................... 24 3.4.2 Selection Bias .............................................................................................................. 25 Chapter 4: Background 4.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 27 4.1 The Norwegian Armed Forces and Defence Policy ........................................................... 27 4.2. The CSDP Decision-making Process ................................................................................ 30 4.3 The Norwegian Model – Cooperation with the EU in CSDP ............................................ 31 4.3.1 The Quest for Participation ......................................................................................... 31 4.3.2 Finding New Solutions ................................................................................................ 33 4.3.2 Norway’s Agreements with the EU on Security and Defence .................................... 36 4.3.3 Norway’s Participation ................................................................................................ 36 Chapter 5: Political Analysis 5.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 39 5.1 Input ................................................................................................................................... 39 5.1.1 Getting Information ..................................................................................................... 40 5.1.2 Participation ................................................................................................................ 42 5.1.3 Possibilities for Influence ............................................................................................ 46 5.2 Output ................................................................................................................................