vgeld
23-01-04, 18:11
EUROPE: Nato recruits Arab allies to stability effort
By Rainer Koch in Brussels
Financial Times; Jan 22, 2004
The US and Turkey plan to invite representatives of six Middle East and North African countries, including Egypt and Israel, to the June Nato summit in Istanbul in an attempt to pull friendly countries in the region into postwar stability efforts.
Nato diplomats say the initiative includes a proposal to enlarge the "Partnership for Peace" programme - set up after the cold war to pull eastern European countries into Nato's sphere - to include Arab countries close to the US. Other Arab countries under consideration include Morocco , Tunisia and Qatar.
Such a move, which has been dubbed the "Greater Middle East" initiative, would be a significant shift for an alliance which, since its creation, has comprised only North American and European members.
The Partnership for Peace programme was extended to all former Warsaw Pact members, seven of which will formally join the alliance at the June summit.
Partnership for Peace has in the past included joint military exercises as well as civil co-operation programmes.
"The Americans have come to the conclusion that stability in Iraq can be achieved by a stronger co-operation with the neighbouring countries," said a Brussels diplomat.
Nato faced a divisive dispute over Iraq when several members balked at providing Turkey with defensive assets such as anti-missile batteries on the eve of the war. Since peacekeeping began, however, Nato has become more involved and has supported the international division headed by Poland in south-east Iraq.
EU diplomats briefed on the Middle East proposal appeared lukewarm about the idea, noting that it was still only provisional and warning that it could overstretch the alliance.
"Nato is running the risk of being burdened with additional problems including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," warned one.
The alliance's new secretary-general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the former Dutch foreign minister, has called Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) his top priority.
The US has indicated, however, that it intends to shift its European-based forces, the core of Nato, from Germany to bases in Romania and Bulgaria to be closer to Middle East and Gulf trouble spots.
By Rainer Koch in Brussels
Financial Times; Jan 22, 2004
The US and Turkey plan to invite representatives of six Middle East and North African countries, including Egypt and Israel, to the June Nato summit in Istanbul in an attempt to pull friendly countries in the region into postwar stability efforts.
Nato diplomats say the initiative includes a proposal to enlarge the "Partnership for Peace" programme - set up after the cold war to pull eastern European countries into Nato's sphere - to include Arab countries close to the US. Other Arab countries under consideration include Morocco , Tunisia and Qatar.
Such a move, which has been dubbed the "Greater Middle East" initiative, would be a significant shift for an alliance which, since its creation, has comprised only North American and European members.
The Partnership for Peace programme was extended to all former Warsaw Pact members, seven of which will formally join the alliance at the June summit.
Partnership for Peace has in the past included joint military exercises as well as civil co-operation programmes.
"The Americans have come to the conclusion that stability in Iraq can be achieved by a stronger co-operation with the neighbouring countries," said a Brussels diplomat.
Nato faced a divisive dispute over Iraq when several members balked at providing Turkey with defensive assets such as anti-missile batteries on the eve of the war. Since peacekeeping began, however, Nato has become more involved and has supported the international division headed by Poland in south-east Iraq.
EU diplomats briefed on the Middle East proposal appeared lukewarm about the idea, noting that it was still only provisional and warning that it could overstretch the alliance.
"Nato is running the risk of being burdened with additional problems including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," warned one.
The alliance's new secretary-general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the former Dutch foreign minister, has called Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) his top priority.
The US has indicated, however, that it intends to shift its European-based forces, the core of Nato, from Germany to bases in Romania and Bulgaria to be closer to Middle East and Gulf trouble spots.