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Turkey Tentatively Agrees Eurpean Union Force May Use NATO Bases
LONDON, June 4-Diplomats from Britain, the United States and Turkey have drafted an agreement that would eliminate one of the main barriers to the establishment of a new European defense force.
Under the draft accord, Turkey would withdraw its objections to a
proposed European Union force with 60,000 troops, thus easing cooperation
between the union and NATO.
Turkey, a member of NATO but not of the European Union, would not be given
a veto over military activities undertaken by the European Union. But it
would have a voice in the organization's deliberations about the use of
military force, as well as a potential role in managing military operations,
especially those near Turkish territory.
The compromise, which was hammered out in secret talks in Istanbul late last month, has yet to be approved formally by the 15-member European Union or by Turkey. But diplomats hope a final agreement can be reached by mid-June, when President Bush is scheduled to visit Europe and a European Union summit meeting is to be held in Gothenburg, Sweeden.
The question of Turkey's role has emerged as one of the main barriers to a new rapid raction force, which European Union nations hope to develope by 2003. Turkey has sought to maintain some control over European Union operations in its region, especially since Greece, its rival, is a member.
What has made Turkey's objections so important is that the European Union would like to be able to use NATO's bases, aircraft, planning abilities and other assets if it conducted major military operations. As a NATO member, Turkey is in a position to block that.
The United States has an important stake in the issue as well. To maintain NATO's primary role and to avoid confusion, it wants the European Union to rely on NATO's planners and to coordinate closely with the alliance.
That would be precluded, American officials say, if the Turkish issue were not resolved and the European Union went its separate way. A European official said Defense Secretary Donald H. rumsfeld was expected to inform the Turks in his talks today that the proposed deal was the best compromise they could obtain.
The proposed compromise covers European NATO members that are not members of the EU: Turkey, Norway, Iceland and NATO's three new members from Central Europe, the Czech Republic, Hungrary and Poland.
The committee could review the commander's plans before an operation began and then oversee its day-to-day management of the operation. Turkey would have a right to participate in the operation and to serve on the committee. If it did not use NATO assets but planned an operation near Turkey, the British paper states, it would be of "particular benefit" to include Turkey.
***The language is most sensative aspect of the proposed compromise. It stops short of an iron-clad guarantee that Turkey will be included in that scenario, and leaves open the possibility that Greece 'could block the move.' But the British and Americans argue that it is the best compromise that can be obtained and amounts to a political assurance that Turkey woild probably be included. "The British took what was agreed in Nice and have interpreted it to the maximum," a senior allied official said.
***The compromise also includes an assurance that the EU force will not intervene in the political disputes of NATO allies, a reference to Greek-Turkish disputes.
One senior Turkish diplomant said that there had been much positive movement but that it was premature to say a breakthrough had been achieved. But one senior Western diplomat said the proposed deal was the best the Turks could hope for.
"The emphasis is on giving the Turks input into planning and management
of operations and on permanent arrangements," a Western diplomat said.
"They are not getting 100 percent guarantee that they will be invited to
every single operation. The package is a good deal, and to push for more
could cause the house of cards to tumble down."
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