Military

SHAPE News Morning Update

13 March 2003

IRAQ

• Russia will not take part in the “dangerous precedent” of supporting regime change in Iraq, a top Russian diplomat said Wednesday, while the U.S. ambassador to Moscow warned that a Russian veto of a UN resolution opening the way to war would damage Moscow’s economic and political interests. During a visit to Tokyo, Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov told the ITAR-Tass news agency that Moscow would not back any pressure campaign aimed at removing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power. “This would create a very dangerous precedent,” Mamedov was quoted as saying. However, he added that Saddam had the “private right” to decide to leave Iraq. Mamedov said it would be a “tragic mistake” for Washington to ignore the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow told the Izvestia daily that bilateral relations were strong enough to withstand the consequences of a Russian veto of the U.S.-British resolution in the Security Council, but that “there will be damage,” at least in the short run. He spoke of opportunities that would be missed: expanding energy cooperation and investment in energy, joint work in security and anti-terrorism programs, partnership in space. “It will be very unfortunate if the progress in these areas is put off or reversed altogether because of serious differences over Iraq,” Vershbow was quoted as saying in comments that were translated into Russian. (AP 121756 Mar 03)
  
  
• An Arab mission to avert war will fly to Iraq on Friday - with or without the participation of two of its five member-states who have reservations over the message to be delivered, Arab League officials said Wednesday in Cairo, Egypt. League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said contacts were underway with Syria and Lebanon. Lebanese and Syrian foreign ministry spokesmen declined to say Wednesday whether their diplomats would remain in the mission to Baghdad. (AP 122037 Mar 03)
  

NATO 

• Washington has agreed to send two Patriot missile systems to Turkey. The U.S. offer will take to five the number of Patriot systems now in Turkey. Officials said after a meeting of NATO’s Defence Planning Committee that offers of equipment to defend against chemical and germ warfare attacks had also been made by some European countries, among them Norway and the Czech Republic. (Reuters 121813 GMT Mar 03)
  
  
• Hungary will donate 2,000 sets of chemical suits and gas masks to Turkey, a government spokesman said Wednesday in Budapest. A government spokesman said the shipment was in accordance with NATO requests but could not say when the delivery would be made. (AP 121650 Mar 03)
  

BALKANS 

• NATO condemned the killing on Wednesday of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. Secretary-General George Robertson said he was “profoundly shocked and saddened” by the assassination of Djindjic in Belgrade, adding it showed anti-democratic forces were still active in a region struggling to break with its past. “There will be no sustainable peace, no prosperity, no justice until extremists are brought to justice,” Lord Robertson said in a statement. “The attack on Mr Djindjic is an attack against all who want to break with the past.” “This is the desperate action by violent extremists who want to return to Milosevic authoritarianism. They will not win, they must not win.” (Reuters 121625 GMT Mar 03)
  
  
• Fears of a power struggle and fresh turmoil loomed in Serbia after the assassination of the prime minister. Zoran Djindjic, 50, was shot by two sniper bullets in downtown Belgrade early Wednesday afternoon as he stepped out of his armored car en route to meetings at a government building. The assassination prompted the government to impose a nationwide state of emergency. The army’s top body, the Supreme Defense Council, raised the level of combat readiness and instructed the military to assist the police. A statement late on Wednesday by the Serbian Cabinet blamed Milorad Lukovic, a warlord loyal to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and an underworld network known as the “Zemun clan” after a Belgrade suburb, for allegedly organizing the killing. Under the constitution, acting Serbian President Natasa Micic must nominate a successor to be approved by a majority vote of the Serbian parliament. (AP 130310 Mar 03)
  
  
• A stunned chief UN war crimes prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said Wednesday that she was saddened by the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, her main contact and biggest supporter in the Belgrade government. She expressed concern over future contacts with Serbia and Montenegro. Some court watchers voiced concern that cooperation with the tribunal could now break down in a country where many people are openly hostile toward the court, which they accuse of an anti-Serb bias. The assassination could be read as a warning to those who stand up for the rule of law, said one official on condition of anonymity. (AP 121753 Mar 03)