NATO Agrees On Turkey: "Very Big Step Forward" To War [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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From:           	Rick Rozoff <R_ROZOFF@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject:        	NATO Agrees On Turkey: "Very Big Step Forward" To War [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]
Date sent:      	Sun, 16 Feb 2003 23:56:49 -0800 (PST)
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1) NATO Agrees On War Plans
2) Lord Robertson's Statement: NATO Will Deploy
Theater Missiles, AWACS, BioChem Troops



http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=529B4F06-9C2E-4E3A-B0E9FB41A50D73C1

Voice Of America
January 17, 2003

NATO Agrees on Turkey's Defense

-Belgium and Germany, which had been blocking military
aid to Turkey, finally dropped their objections after
many hours of talks.
-U.S. ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns, calls
Sunday's decision a "very big step forward."
-NATO's decision Sunday means defense officials will
immediately start plans to deploy AWACS surveillance
planes, air defense missiles, and anti-chemical and
biological warfare units to Turkey.




NATO has agreed to start preparations to defend Turkey
in case of Iraqi war reprisals, ending a month-long
impasse that threatened to severely damage the
alliance.

Agreement was reached late Sunday after 18 of 19
ambassadors put the matter before NATO's Defense
Planning Committee.

Belgium and Germany, which had been blocking military
aid to Turkey, finally dropped their objections after
many hours of talks.

France is not part of the defense committee, but still
vehemently opposes a defense plan for Turkey, saying
it puts NATO on a war footing. France also strongly
opposes a possible U.S. military action against Iraq.

NATO Secretary General George Robertson said Sunday
that alliance solidarity has prevailed and calls the
search for consensus a cornerstone of NATO.

U.S. ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns, calls
Sunday's decision a "very big step forward."

NATO's decision Sunday means defense officials will
immediately start plans to deploy AWACS surveillance
planes, air defense missiles, and anti-chemical and
biological warfare units to Turkey.

Turkey is the only NATO member that borders Iraq and
could be a target for Saddam Hussein if the United
States decides to attack Iraq.

NATO's charter says an attack on one member is an
attack against the entire alliance. The United States
had argued that denying support for Turkey would
damage NATO's credibility.

The European Union will debate a common policy on Iraq
during an emergency summit Monday in Brussels.

Secretary General Robertson said although France will
not be a part of military assistance to Turkey, it
stands in solidarity with Ankara.

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/2003/s030216a.htm

NATO International Online
February 16, 2003

Statement

by NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson
after the NATO Defence Planning Committee Meeting

-It is therefore with great personal satisfaction that
I can now confirm that the 18 NATO Allies, members of
the integrated military structure, agreed today to
task military planners to begin their work and advise
Allies with military advice on the following possible
missions:
preventive deployment of AWACS aircraft;
NATO support for the deployment of theatre missile
defences for Turkey;
NATO support for possible deployment of Allied
chemical and biological defence capabilities.


Good evening ladies and gentlemen and thank you for
your patience. It?s been a long day for all of us. But
we have come to a conclusion.

Ambassadors of 18 NATO nations, members in the Defence
Planning Committee of NATO, came to this building this
morning confident that we had the elements necessary
to provide the basis for a consensus decision.

The discussions today were both arduous but
constructive. One country ? Belgium ? proposed
amendments to a draft decision sheet which were
discussed and considered at some length.

I am happy to announce that we have been able ?
collectively ? to overcome the impasse we have faced
for the past few days.

We agree on substance, we agree on timing and we agree
on how to integrate our collective solidarity with
Turkey in the wider context.

A political decision backed by consensus has always
been the preferred choice of this Alliance. The search
for consensus remains a cornerstone of how the North
Atlantic Alliance operates.

It is therefore with great personal satisfaction that
I can now confirm that the 18 NATO Allies, members of
the integrated military structure, agreed today to
task military planners to begin their work and advise
Allies with military advice on the following possible
missions:

preventive deployment of AWACS aircraft;
NATO support for the deployment of theatre missile
defences for Turkey;
NATO support for possible deployment of Allied
chemical and biological defence capabilities.
The military authorities will also review contingency
plans related to the reinforcement of Turkey in the
context of the current situation, and update these
plans as needed.

These measures are intended to provide Turkey solely
with defensive assistance.

Alliance solidarity has prevailed. NATO nations have
assumed their collective responsibility towards
Turkey, a nation at the moment under threat.

In closing, I wish to say that my choices were always
taken having in mind the greater interest of the
Alliance as a whole. My job as Secretary General of
NATO is to lead the nations towards consensus. And
that is what I?ve done today. Thank you very much.



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