WORLD
EU DIPLOMATS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW INTELLIGENCE HUB
Baku, February 23 (AZERTAC). The European Union is creating a new department from three intelligence-sharing bureaus at its home base in Brussels, EU officials said.
Catherine Ashton, foreign relations director for the organization, is developing a proposal for the future structure of the diplomatic corps that will include the intelligence hub.
Ashton would like to merge the EU`s Joint Situation Center, Watch-Keeping Capability and the European Commission`s Crisis Room into one entity.
The Situation Center, with its 110 agents, pools classified information received by member countries and drafts reports on topics including terrorism and diplomatic matters. It also runs a 24-hour alert desk.
The Watch-Keeping Capability, made up of 12 people from EU members` police and armed forces, pulls together news from the organization`s 23 police and military missions.
The Crisis Room, run by six officials, operates a secure Web site of breaking news about active conflicts worldwide.
The current head of SitCen, former British diplomat William Shapcott, is the top candidate to manage EAS` new intelligence branch due to his friendly ties with member states` secret services.