Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

25 September 2003

IRAQ

• German Chancellor Schroeder yesterday dropped many of his objections to U.S.-led efforts to rebuild Iraq, telling President Bush that Germany is now prepared to offer economic assistance for reconstruction and training for Iraqi soldiers and police, writes the Washington Times. Mr. Schroeder reportedly told media: “We very much feel that the differences that have been, have been left behind and put aside by now. We are both agreed that we want to look into the future together.” Noting, however, that no ground troops have been mentioned in the Chancellor’s offer, the newspaper argues that fresh challenges emerged from other U.S. allies, including Turkey, Pakistan and Poland, which responded cautiously to the American campaign for additional international troops to help police Iraq. The leaders of Pakistan and India, continues the paper, both offered aid but remained skeptical about requests for more troops. Pakistani President Musharraf in his address to the UN General Assembly, echoed also by AFP, allegedly said: “Pakistan would be prepared to help in a collective UN-sanctioned Arab and Islamic effort to help the Iraqi people, if they wish us to do so.” Turkish Foreign Minister Gul, according to the daily, said: “We don’t want to be part of the occupation … because we know the Iraqi people are not happy.” Moreover, he also reportedly said: “They want as soon as possible to rule their own country. So if we go there, we want to go together with humanitarian aid, not be just a police force. Otherwise, we cannot be helpful.” But, the daily stresses, he added that if Turkey felt the territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq were under threat, “we may go there.” Even Poland, observes the paper, yesterday was critical of the U.S. for not listening to its suggestion on how to improve security in Iraq. In a contribution to the Financial Times, Judy Dempsey and Edward Alden wrote, Sept. 24, that the small sum - only 200 million euros - the European Commission is expected to commit to the rebuilding of Iraq, illustrates the poor response to President Bush’s call for more international military and financial support. They also reported head of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority Paul Bremer’s revelation that the World Bank has estimated a cost of 60-70 billion dollars over the next four to five years to rebuild Iraq.

OPERATION CONCORDIA

• According to FYROM press agency MIA, Sept. 24, the French command of the “Concordia” mission will be transferred on September 30 to the EUROFOR Headquarters, following the Macedonian (sic) Government’s letter to EU Foreign and Security Policy High Representative Javier Solana. EU spokeswoman Irena Gjuzelova was quoted saying: “This is a civil mission with accent on previous crisis regions, no mandate changes, except for routine personnel changes on the terrain. The EUROFOR’s aim is to support the government’s activities for establishing law and order, conducting of police reforms, and strengthening of border management, as well as faster meeting of the EU standards for Macedonia (sic)’s accession to the Union.” OSCE, NATO, the EU, and “Concordia”, reported the news agency, strongly condemned the latest burning of houses of Macedonians (sic) in the village Aracinovo. OSCE spokesperson Harold Shenker was quoted stating: “The security in Aracinovo should be improved by confidence building.”

NATO

• NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, wrote the Uzbek Foreign Ministry press service, Sept. 24, will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on 25-26 September. The main aim of the visit, stated the report, is to discuss with the Uzbek leadership the prospects of cooperation between NATO and Uzbekistan, the current situation in Central Asia and Afghanistan, and the problems of fighting international terrorism. The parties are also expected to discuss interaction between Uzbekistan and NATO within the purview of ISAF in Afghanistan. The agenda of Lord Robertson’s visit reportedly includes meetings with Uzbek President Karimov, visiting the Supreme Assembly, and holding talks with the Foreign and Defense Ministers. Partner relations between Uzbekistan and NATO has markedly expanded in all the spheres of safeguarding security of late, remarks the dispatch, and it is in Uzbekistan’s interests to establish successful cooperation with NATO in implementing military reforms, equipping state borders with the up-to-date means of protection, and in fighting terrorism. The parties, adds the report, are planning to set up a training centre in Tashkent in the near future, to implement joint programmes for training a peacekeeping battalion meeting the NATO standards, to launch a project for recycling ammunition and rocket fuel, to increase the supply of military and technical gear to Uzbekistan, and to develop cooperation in the sphere of civil defense and emergency planning.