From Andrew Rettman, EUobserver:  EU countries must share military resources or become "marginal" powers on the world stage, a Swedish general has said.

Hakan Syren issued the warning after chairing a regular meeting of EU military commanders in Brussels on Wednesday (31 October).

"We have shrinking budgets and we have changing responsibilities. It was shown in the Libya conflict … I would say there’s a new world out there," he told press.

"The centre of gravity is moving from our continent to the Far East and we must come up with a long-term response to make sure we are not marginalised," he added. . . .

For his part, Syren said "pooling and sharing" – an EU agreement on military resources – has to be "taken to the next level" in 2013 as a response.

He noted the pooling pact has spawned 15 projects over the past two and half years. . . .

He identified joint EU war schools, joint equipment maintenance and military manoeuvres as future areas for co-operation.  (photo: PressTV/Iran)   (via @jdcushman)

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