|
SLUG: 2-299551 NATO U-S Turkey (S-2nd UPD)
DATE: NOTE NUMBER: |
||
DATE=2/12/03 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-299551 TITLE=NATO / U-S / TURKEY (S 2nd UPDATE) BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON DATELINE=BRUSSELS CONTENT= VOICED AT: ///// UPDATES CR 2-299545, CHANGES THRUOUT ///// INTRO: NATO ambassadors are consulting their governments after the alliance's secretary-general proposed a compromise to break a deadlock over plans to defend Turkey in the event of a war in Iraq. Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports the United States is warning that the alliance is risking its credibility if it does not back an ally. TEXT: France, Germany, and Belgium have refused to drop their veto of a U-S request to allow the alliance to begin contingency plans for Turkey's defense. The dispute has dragged on for weeks and is not only threatening to undermine the alliance, but also to block U-S efforts to rally support for military action against Iraq. The three holdouts say planning now for Turkey's defense would hurt diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis peacefully. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson's compromise proposal focuses exclusively on drawing up plans to protect Turkey and discards other elements of the U-S request for indirect NATO support in case of a U-S-led war against Iraq. His hope is that France, Germany, and Belgium will agree that the alliance should begin planning to defend an ally that has requested NATO help because it feels it will be threatened in the event of war. The ambassadors will take up the matter later in the day, after consulting with their capitals. (SIGNED) NEB/RW/KL/RAE/FC |
||
