Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

5 September 2003

NATO

• According to AFP, NATO Secretary General Robertson urged Hungary Thursday to change its constitution “as quickly as possible” to enable the country to deploy troops abroad more rapidly. “I have discussed today the amendments to the constitution … in relation to troop deployment,” Lord Robertson reportedly said at a news conference in Budapest with Prime Minister Medgyessy. “I have a message for all of those involved in politics in Hungary, and that is to get this sorted out as quickly as possible,” he stressed, adding: “We expect the countries of the Alliance to be able to accept all responsibilities and that includes the willingness to deploy forces. It’s not a matter of politics …, it’s a matter of simple practically.” The dispatch quotes Medgyessy saying he would seek opposition support for a change in the constitution and hoped parliament could pass an amendment in the autumn. It notes that under the Hungarian constitution, a decision to send troops abroad needs to be approved by a two-third majority in parliament.

IRAQ

• Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov gave a cautious approval to the U.S. draft UN resolution which offers the UN a greater role in Iraq and said Moscow would not mind the U.S. leadership in a broader international peacekeeping force, reports AP. According to the dispatch, Ivanov told reporters on a trip to Uzbekistan: “Preliminary speaking, I can say that this initiative deserves attention since the content of the proposed resolution reflects those principles which Russia has consistently championed…. Russia has no allergy to the United States leading such force on condition their activities are conducted under the UN mandate.” He reportedly stressed, however, that the draft will need more work to win approval at the UN Security Council. In an interview with Le Figaro, French Foreign Minister de Villepin says France “definitely” intends to cooperate with the United States to find consensus on the proposed resolution. De Villepin was quoted saying that while the proposal “does not sufficiently take into account the political need of quickly restoring sovereignty to Iraq by transferring executive power to its institutions,” it was a step “in the right direction.” He stressed, however, that France was ready to work with the United States. “We will make proposals, in liaison with our partners on the Security Council,” he indicated. The Daily Telegraph suggests that the bargaining over the resolution may eventually be decided by Russia. “Moscow has first lined up with Paris and Berlin in opposing the war but in recent days has sent supportive signals to America. As President Putin prepares to visit Washington later this month, Defense Minister Ivanov said Russia may send peacekeepers to Iraq as part of an international force,” notes the daily.

BALKANS

• According to AFP, Austrian Defense Minister Platter said in an interview with Financial Times Deutschland Friday the EU will assume command of the peacekeeping force in Bosnia from NATO “at the end of 2004 or early 2005.” The daily reportedly recalled that plans or an EU takeover of the force were thrown into question during a NATO meeting in Madrid in June when U.S. officials raised doubts about whether NATO should pull out of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The daily claimed, however, that Washington had apparently had a change of heart and that Germany no longer expected the United States to stand in the way of a handover.

UNITED STATES-DEFENSE

• Newport News Daily Press quotes JCS Chairman Gen. Myers saying in an interview that the demand for U.S. forces in Iraq and other battlefronts in the global war on terrorism likely will require a drawdown of troops elsewhere, and that might include Bosnia and Kosovo. According to the newspaper, Gen. Myers said making Iraq safe for democracy is “the most important thing we’re doing right now,” which means other missions, including peacekeeping in the Balkans, are not as important. It is probably time European nations assumed a bigger role there, he reportedly suggested. Keeping significant numbers of U.S. troops there and at Cold War bases like those in Iceland, made sense in the 20th century but perhaps not in the 21st century, he said, “given the new security environment” and the strain on US. forces from missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gen. Myers is further quoted saying that the Joint Chiefs are studying, “how we can change our … global force presence policy” and noting that with a substantial force needed in Iraq, “it can’t be business as usual in the rest of the world.”