Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

22 January 2003

NATO

• Electronic media report NATO Secretary General Robertson announced Wednesday he will stand down in December, declining offers to extend his mandate for another year. "I have been asked by a number of governments to stay on for the optional fifth year but I believe four years is the right term in this demanding and onerous job. I'm looking forward to another full and active year ahead before I go," AP quotes Lord Robertson saying in a statement. Lord Robertson's decision is a surprise, comments the dispatch, adding that he had been expected to stay on for an extra year after receiving widespread praise for pushing through reforms of the Alliance, overseeing its decision in November to invite in seven new members and securing commitments from European allies to boost their military capabilities. Reuters quotes a NATO official saying there was no obvious successor. "The hunt is on," the spokesman reportedly said. A related AFP dispatch reports that in a statement released after Lord Robertson's announcement, Prime Minister Blair praised him for his "huge contribution" to NATO. "Under his leadership, NATO has maintained its traditional role as the foundation of transatlantic security and the main forum for security consultation between allies," Blair's statement reportedly said.

BALKANS

• Reports that the EU plans to take over the peacekeeping mission in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in March appear to be shifting the media's attention to the relationship between NATO and the EU and particularly DSACEUR's role. "NATO's deputy supreme allied commander, a German four-star general, will command the EU force from (SHAPE headquarters), claims the Wall Street Journal, adding: "The Alliance will back up the EU with intelligence, airlift and planning capabilities the EU lacks-for now, deliberately (and wisely, we think) to avoid duplication between the two institutions. A much larger force in Kosovo is just next door in case anything goes wrong. So no one should lose any sleep over NATO's departure…. Britain and the U.S, among the staunches of NATO defenders, see this mission as a model for how the EU and NATO can work together closely without undue duplication of efforts." As early as March, writes Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the new EU Rapid Reaction Force is to deploy to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on its first military mission. According to the plans of the EU, adds the newspaper, German Adm. Rainer Feist is to assume command of the new force. The article continues: Preparations are being made for the deployment of some 450 personnel, nearly all of whom are from European countries. This strength corresponds to that of the NATO mission "Allied harmony."
  
  
• AP reports that faced with losing U.S. financial and other support, Yugoslavia on Wednesday asked the United States to help it find and arrest key fugitives wanted by the ICTY. According to the dispatch, the request was made by Yugoslav Foreign Minister Svilanovic during a meeting with Pierre-Richard Prosper, the U.S. Ambassador for war crimes. Earlier, the BBC World Service reported that authorities in Belgrade had been told they must hand over three key war crimes suspects by 31 March or risk losing financial aid and other support from the United Sates. The message had been delivered by Prosper to Belgrade. He was reportedly referring to former Bosnian Serb army leader Mladic and two Serbs in connection with alleged war crimes in the town of Vukovar in Croatia. The dispatch remarked that significantly, Prosper indicated that if the men are arrested, Yugoslavia's remaining war crimes cases could be handled in local courts. Privately, U.S. officials suggest that if Mladic is handed over they will consider the war crimes issue effectively closed, claimed the broadcast. It added that Prosper is expected to deliver a similar message to Bosnian Serb officials later this week and recalled that Washington wants their former political leader Radovan Karadzic extradited.

IRAQ-TURKEY

• Turkey is seeking a formula to meet the demands of the United States regarding Iraq, reported Istanbul NTV. According to the report, the Foreign Ministry has proposed to the government that if requests were addressed within the scope of NATO, there may not be a need for a parliamentary decision since NATO agreements would go into effect under such a situation. The report stresses that Ankara must make a decision by the end of January or beginning of February with regard to the use of the Turkish bases and ports by the United States. According to the preliminary surveys of the U.S. inspection team, adds the report, the United States must invest approximately $300 million in the bases, and a personnel force of 4,500-5,000 is needed to this end. In another development, the Washington Post reports that in a speech to Turkish lawmakers Tuesday, the Chairman of Turkey's ruling party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urged President Bush to heed popular protests against a war in Iraq. The newspaper notes that under the Turkish constitution, lawmakers would vote whether to open bases to U.S. warplanes, armor and infantry.