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Brexit will not impact security cooperation – intelligence heads

Brexit will not impact security cooperation – intelligence heads

Mubasher: The UK’s departure from the European Union (EU) would not deter security cooperation with its NATO partners France and Germany, in the face of growing external threats to Europe’s stability, the intelligence chiefs of the three nations said.

“All three services would continue to be close allies in jointly protecting Europe from threats,” adding that “this would also hold true […] in view of Brexit,” the heads of the UK’s MI6, France’s Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure (DGSE) and Germany’s BND on Friday said after a meeting at the Munich Security Conference.

The UK parliament rejected last month a withdrawal deal reached by UK and EU negotiators, stoking the possibility of a disorderly Brexit that could impact trade and other relations.

London and Brussels have vowed to continue their cooperation on security matters through institution such as Europol and Eurojust after the Brexit, despite a proposal of “operational cooperation” between police and justice systems remains vague.

Nevertheless, UK officials warned that a disruptive Brexit would be a step back for security cooperation.

“Our security relationships are unconditional with our European colleagues,” MI6 foreign intelligence service head Alex Younger told Thomson Reuters.

“The relationship that exists between us and our European partners is closer than I have ever known it in my 30 years as an intelligence officer,” Younger said.

“This is a two-way street and that isn’t going to change,” he noted, adding that Brexit doesn’t fundamentally alter those relationships.”

Europe is in the face of unprecedented threats, and the three NATO members should support their cooperation, even with uncertainty of political environment, DGSE director general Bernard Emie told Reuters.

“These challenges cannot be dealt with solely at a national level, Emie said, adding that “they need a strong and coordinated response [...] especially from our three services.”