Military

SHAPE News Morning Update

28 January 2003

IRAQ

• The United States appeared further isolated on Monday in its attitude towards Baghdad, with most of the world saying UN arms inspectors needed more time to search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Even Foreign Secretary Jack Straw of staunch U.S. ally Britain, while condemning Iraq’s attitude to the inspectors as “a charade”, said the continuation of the searches was up to the UN Security Council - not any one state. UN weapons chief Hans Blix said Iraq had cooperated in opening sites for inspection but had fallen short of filling in gaps in last month’s declaration on its weapons programs. He said further moves were up to the Security Council. (Reuters 272227 GMT Jan 03)
  
• The European Union sought more time for UN weapons inspectors to continue their work in Iraq on Monday, but stopped short of saying so openly in a statement officials trumpeted as a “unified position” on the crisis. Diplomats said the declaration, drawn up at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, papered over cracks that would inevitably be exposed if Washington moved closer to military action against Iraq. (Reuters 271930 GMT Jan 03)
  
• U.S. President George W. Bush has assured NATO allies that he will consult with them before deciding whether to take military action against Iraq, the leader of the alliance said Friday in Davos. “President Bush made it absolutely clear to me that he will take the time to explain to the American people and indeed to allies and the world in general about what needs to be done,” NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said. He said any decision by President Bush will follow action by the UN Security Council on the report by weapons inspectors presented on Monday. The council is to debate the issue Wednesday, he noted. (AP 271913 Jan 03)
  
• Turkey and NATO are weighing contingency plans in case Iraqi President Saddam Hussein should launch an attack on Turkish territory, alliance chief George Robertson said on Monday. “If you have a neighbour like Saddam Hussein, I think you’re wise to get involved in at least prudent defensive planning for your own safety, and as a member of an alliance it (Turkey) has the right to act and expect for support to take place,” he added. He said NATO was only discussing possibilities at this stage and had not yet reached agreement on specific actions to help defend Turkey. In response to a question about potential al Qaeda attacks, he said the Straits of Gibraltar, gateway to the Mediterranean, were among the alliance’s “points of maximum vulnerability.” “We know perfectly well that the terrorist routes include maritime routes... That is why there is a particular attention on the Straits of Gibraltar at the present moment, and I think most people would agree that that is an area which should come under constant attention,” he said. (Reuters 271646 GTM Jan 03)
  
• The Royal Navy’s largest amphibious task force in two decades gathered of Cyprus’ coast on Monday before expecting to sail to the Gulf ahead of a possible U.S.-led military attack on Iraq, a military official said. The arrival of the task force, which comprises 15 vessels is led by the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. A British military spokesman, said the fleet will remain in Cyprus for “no longer than a week” to participate in “integration exercises” with Royal Marines and receive supplies before “heading toward the Gulf region.” (AP 271845 Jan 03)
  

NATO

• Slovenes are having second thoughts about joining NATO, according to survey published on Monday that showed support among respondents for membership below 50 percent. The monthly poll from the state-run Center for Researching Public Opinion, showed that only 44 percent of Slovenes would vote for membership in a referendum, compared to 50 percent in December. The results are a blow for the pro-Western government, coming just two month before it wants to hold a referendum on joining NATO and the European Union on March 23. (AP 271811 Jan 03)

BALKANS

• Serbia’s parliament adopted a Western-backed accord on Monday to ditch the bloodied Yugoslav federation in favour of a loose union with the coastal republic of Montenegro. Montenegro is expected to pass the new union’s constitutional charter when its parliament meets on Tuesday. It will formally become a reality once it is approved by the federal parliament at a session which has yet to be called. (Reuters 272153 GMT Jan 03)