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SHAPE News Morning Update
17
March 2003
IRAQ
- President
Bush says UN must play role in post-Saddam Iraq
- Belgium
to deny U.S. use of territory in case of Iraq war without
UN backing
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NATO
- Poland
initials F-16 fighter order but still negotiates offset
terms
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AFGHANISTAN
-
Belgium voices opposition to German plan for NATO in
Afghanistan
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IRAQ
- U.S. President
George W. Bush said on Sunday that he believed the United
Nations must have a role in rebuilding Iraq after the removal
of President Saddam Hussein. “If we use military
force in a post-Saddam Iraq the UN will definitely need to
have a role...It’s important for the UN to build a function
if we’re going to keep the peace,” Bush told a
news conference joined by the prime ministers of Britain and
Spain. (Reuters 161912 GMT Mar 03)
- The Belgian
government said Sunday it would deny the United States use
of its territory for military transports if Washington launches
a war against Iraq without UN backing. “If
the United States would start a war without UN approval, it
would be illegal and we would not longer be able to accept
transits,” Defense Minister Andre Flahaut told the RTBF
network. He also added that the government would also deny
the United States overflight rights for planes on their way
to Iraq. (AP 161419 Mar 03)
NATO
- Polish
and U.S. government officials took the first step Saturday
in Warsaw toward finalizing a US $3.5-billion deal for 48
F-16 fighter jets and aimed at bringing Poland’s air
force up to NATO standard. The
deal initialed on Saturday specifies items of delivery including
the Lockheed Martin aircraft, spare engines, missiles and
bombs as well as technical details and the terms of training
for Polish pilots. (AP 151623 Mar 03)
AFGHANISTAN
- German
suggestions for NATO to take over the international peacekeeping
operation in the Afghan capital Kabul received a setback on
Saturday when Belgium joined France in opposing such a move.
Belgian Defense Minister Andre Flahaut said it was too early
to hoist a NATO flag over the mission, partly because the
alliance was too closely associated with the United States.
“I don’t rule out that it could happen
eventually, but it’s too soon,” Minister
Flahaut told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of European
Union defense ministers. He added, however, that Belgium would
not object to NATO playing a greater supporting role, providing
planning and logistics help to nations participating in the
operation. (AP 151314 Mar 03)
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