NATO Allies Reject New U.S. Plan on Iraq
By PAUL GEITNER
Associated Press Writer
February 12, 2003, 7:50 PM EST
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- France, Germany and Belgium rebuffed the United States for a third straight day Wednesday, rejecting a watered-down U.S. request for military assistance from NATO in preparation for a war with Iraq.
The standoff at NATO headquarters, two days before the chief U.N. weapons inspectors report to the U.N. Security Council in New York, cast doubt on U.S. chances of gaining support from the world body for war against Iraq for Baghdad's failing to disarm.
In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell told Congress that he would press the French and German foreign ministers to say how much more time they would give the inspectors or whether they were only trying to get Iraq "off the hook."
"That is the question I will put to them Friday," Powell said.
A decision by the Security Council to block military action could produce a major break between Washington and most of the world's other big powers.
With the dispute over Iraq already tearing apart NATO, Greece warned on Wednesday of "a deep crisis" within the European Union if European states could not agree on a common front. With European nations lining up for and against Washington, there appeared little chance of avoiding an EU split.
France, Germany and Russia insist they see no reason for launching an attack on Iraq, saying that the weapons inspectors must be given more time, manpower and equipment to peacefully disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. and British diplomats were lobbying hard Wednesday to assemble votes for a possible Security Council resolution authorizing military action against Iraq. Britain may present a draft resolution, possibly as early as Friday after top inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei present their latest assessment of Iraq's cooperation, diplomats said.
France was leading the resistance to the United States, with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer making an unscheduled trip to Paris on Wednesday for urgent consultations. Paris is offering a plan for more intrusive inspections to give the inspectors more time and resources to disarm Iraq peacefully.
China, France and Russia, which hold vetoes on the Security Council, are sending their foreign ministers to Friday's session. Germany's Fischer and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw were expected to attend.
Seeking to end the NATO alliance's worst internal crisis since the end of the Cold War, Washington offered a compromise solution Wednesday on starting planning to defend Turkey against Iraqi attack in the event of war. Turkey is the only NATO member bordering Iraq.
The United States offered to drop other requests such as helping guard U.S. bases in Europe and filling in for NATO troops on peacekeeping duty in the Balkans who may be moved to the Persian Gulf.
But France, Germany and Belgium blocked the compromise, asserting it could undercut U.N. efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis peacefully.
"They haven't changed their mind," NATO spokesman Yves Brodeur said after talks broke up Wednesday night, with plans to resume Thursday. "They still feel the time is not right for NATO to make a decision."
Greece, the current president of the 15-nation EU, said it will push at a summit next week for a common approach on Iraq. But the EU is divided, with Britain, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Portugal broadly backing Washington.
"We are at a critical juncture (and) have to be absolutely clear. ... The European Union will enter a deep crisis" unless it forges a common view on how to deal with Iraq, said Greek spokesman Panos Beglitis.
China has joined France, Germany and Russia in insisting it has genuine doubts on the Iraqi threat and won't be stampeded into a catastrophic war.
But the other powers are equally eager to curb the enormous power of the United States. Unable to match the United States, these powers want to curb American ability to act alone by binding it to the will of the United Nations and other world bodies where they can outvote Washington.
U.S. and British diplomats believe they can get the nine votes needed to back tough action against Iraq in the 15-member Security Council. That would force France, Russia or China to use their veto. But France says 10 or 11 council members support more inspections.
For the three permanent council members, a veto would risk an open breach with Washington.
This would be especially important for Russia and China, which need U.S. backing on a wide range of issues. France, which has been careful not to rule out eventually joining a possible war against Iraq, may be reluctant to take on Washington alone.
If the United States does not get U.N. backing, Washington could turn its back on the world body, making it largely irrelevant in world affairs.
Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press
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