BELGIUM: U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO WARNS ALLIANCE FACES CRISIS AFTER FAILING TO AGREE ON MEASURES TO PROTECT TURKEY.
Record ID:
208409
BELGIUM: U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO WARNS ALLIANCE FACES CRISIS AFTER FAILING TO AGREE ON MEASURES TO PROTECT TURKEY.
- Title: BELGIUM: U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO WARNS ALLIANCE FACES CRISIS AFTER FAILING TO AGREE ON MEASURES TO PROTECT TURKEY.
- Date: 11th February 2003
- Summary: (W7)BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 9, 2003)(REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS: EXTERIORS NATO, FLAGS AND SECURITY (6 SHOTS) 0.45 2. MV/TILT: SETUP SHOT OF U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO NICHOLAS BURNS 0.51 3. MCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) BURNS SAYING "I think that NATO is undergoing a quite serious crisis right now. I think we can overcome it if we act quickly, if we act purposefully this week we can move forward to give Turkey the kind of assistance it needs. These are defensive steps. They are not meant to pose any kind of offensive threat to Iraq. Indeed quite the contrary. They are meant to defend Turkey from that threat. I think NATO can certainly overcome this crisis. There ought to be room for some compromise to move forward. But the compromise has to result in NATO delivering this assistance to Turkey." 1.26 4. MV: (SOUNDBITE)(English) BURNS TALKING ABOUT OPPOSITION BY BELGIUM, FRANCE AND GERMANY TO ACCEPTING SUPPORT FOR TURKEY "They are all friends and allies of the United States and we have good relations with all of them. We are undergoing a profound disagreement over the question of Iraq but we'd like to separate the debate in the United Nations Security Council from the debate here at NATO. We believe France and Germany and Belgium should come forward now to give a clear sign to Turkey that they are willing to join the consensus and then we can move forward all together. And I think that should be possible. We're looking for a sign from them, I hope it comes very soon." 1.55 5. MCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) BURNS SAYING "Because Turkey has invoked Article four and because we believe now the second time in the history of the NATO alliance it has ever been discussed, I think there's a special reason to act very quickly. And to make sure looks and appears purposeful. And decisive. And so we hope for a solution by tomorrow, that's possible." 2.21 6. CU/ZOOM/GV: EXTERIOR NATO (NIGHT) 2.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th February 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVADAAFF70W0JG1LD8AMZ1RF3RQ5
- Story Text: The United States ambassador to NATO warned that the
19-nation alliance faced a serious crisis over its failure to
agree on measures to protect Turkey in the event of an attack
on Iraq and called for a deal on Tuesday.
On the rift within NATO, the U.S. ambassador to the
alliance denounced what he called "a most unfortunate decision
by three allies to prevent NATO from assisting the legitimate
defence needs of Turkey", which fears reprisals if U.S. forces
invade Iraq from Turkish territory.
"I think that NATO is undergoing a quite serious crisis
right now. I think we can overcome it if we act quickly, if we
act purposefully this week we can move forward to give Turkey
the kind of assistance it needs. These are defensive steps.
They are not meant to pose any kind of offensive threat to
Iraq. Indeed quite the contrary. They are meant to defend
Turkey from that threat. I think NATO can certainly overcome
this crisis. There ought to be room for some compromise to
move forward. But the compromise has to result in NATO
delivering this assistance to Turkey," Burns said on Monday
(February 10).
The international faultlines over Iraq yawned wider on
Monday, as NATO allies rowed angrily over military
preparations and France, Russia and Germany jointly set out
their alternative to U.S. war plans.
Iraq meanwhile gave way to U.N. inspectors' demands that
it allow overflights by spy planes in the hunt for banned
weapons. President Saddam Hussein said U.S. and British planes
should halt their sporadic air raids during the surveillance
flights.
During a day of stormy diplomatic weather, France, Germany
and Belgium first split NATO by blocking a plan to strengthen
Turkish defences against Iraq in readiness for war. Washington
accused the rebels of plunging the alliance into crisis.
Burns said the United States held good relations with the
three opposition countries and that they were all friends and
allies.
"We are undergoing a profound disagreement over the
question of Iraq but we'd like to separate the debate in the
United Nations Security Council from the debate here at NATO.
We believe France and Germany and Belgium should come forward
now to give a clear sign to Turkey that they are willing to
join the consensus and then we can move forward all together.
And I think that should be possible. We're looking for a sign
from them, I hope it comes very soon," he said.
The three European states, trying to slow the rush to war,
argued that to send AWACS surveillance planes, Patriot
missiles and anti-chemical and anti-biological warfare teams
to Turkey would be a premature signal that conflict had begun.
Turkey promptly invoked NATO's founding treaty to demand
consultations on the defence of its territory but a second
meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels on Monday
ended still deadlocked. NATO ambassadors were to meet again on
Tuesday.
Behind the spat over Turkey is a deeper division inside
and outside NATO over whether to go to war to disarm Iraq or
use more diplomacy and time. Russia, like France, has veto
powers in the U.N. Security Council and lines up with the NATO
doves. French President Jacques Chirac read out a joint
communique after talks in Paris with Russian President
Vladimir Putin, who held talks on Sunday with German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
"Because Turkey has invoked Article 4 and because we
believe now the second time in the history of the NATO
alliance it has ever been discussed, I think there's a special
reason to act very quickly. And to make sure looks and appears
purposeful. And decisive. And so we hope for a solution by
tomorrow -- that's possible," Burns added.
France, Germany and Belgium issued a one-sentence
statement affirming their solidarity with Turkey and
determination to meet NATO obligations, without indicating any
shift in their stance.
Europe has been deeply divided over U.S. threats to attack
Iraq within the next few weeks unless Baghdad declares its
alleged chemical, biological and nuclear arms programmes.
Britain, Italy, Spain, Portugal and new NATO members from
eastern Europe have supported the tough U.S. line.
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