IRAQ CRISIS/NATO: NATO remains deadlocked over preparations for war in Iraq last night after a third day of talks failed to produce an agreement to boost Turkey's defence, writes Denis Staunton, in Brussels
NATO's secretary general, Lord Robertson, called a meeting of NATO's decision-making North Atlantic Council in the hope of bridging the gap between France, Germany and Belgium and the alliance's other 16 members.
Diplomats spent much of yesterday discussing a compromise proposal which would send defensive equipment to Turkey but would drop plans to replace soldiers in the Balkans who might be needed for duty in Iraq, and to step up security at US bases in Europe.
Mr Yves Brodeur, a NATO spokesman, expressed confidence yesterday morning that after a night of negotiations, a breakthrough was close.
"The general view now is that we have a sound basis to continue consultations further," he said.
Under the plan, NATO would still send Patriot missiles, AWACS surveillance aircraft and anti-chemical and anti-biological warfare kits to Turkey.
Belgium and Germany hinted that the compromise could allay their concerns about sending a signal that war against Iraq is inevitable. France however said yesterday that its position had not changed and that any decision to prepare Turkey for conflict with Iraq was premature.
"In this regard, we cannot, through a NATO decision, give our support in principle to a military intervention in Iraq and thus pre-empt the decisions of the Security Council," a French foreign ministry spokesman said.
Few NATO diplomats were last night expecting an agreement until after the UN's chief weapons inspector, Dr Hans Blix, presents his report to the UN Security Council tomorrow.
The United States ambassador to NATO, Mr Nicholas Burns, acknowledged yesterday that there was no end in sight to the crisis.
"It may take some time for us to get to the end of the discussion, that wouldn't be surprising," he said.
Lord Robertson, whose clumsy handling of the dispute over Turkey is blamed by many diplomats for the crisis within NATO, has cancelled a projected trip to Spain today.
Diplomatic sources suggested yesterday that with each fruitless meeting of the North Atlantic Council, Lord Robertson was making the crisis worse.
The split within NATO has highlighted sharp differences over Iraq within the EU in advance of next Monday's emergency meeting of EU leaders.
The European Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, warned yesterday that if the EU did not find a common position on Iraq, its member-states would disappear from the world stage.
"Without a single European voice, it will be impossible to have a strong, permanent and dignified collaboration with the United States and, without collaboration between Europe and the United States, it will be impossible to guarantee world peace and stability," he said.
The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schröder, said yesterday that he hoped that the rift within NATO would be healed and that he believed Turkey's request would eventually be met.
"What has been requested, as far as Germany is concerned, will be granted," he said.