Robertson says NATO-EU defense deal is ‘urgent’
The secretary-general of NATO and the EU official in charge of foreign affairs and security are to meet with Greek officials in Athens today in an effort to end the deadlock that has prevented the EU’s nascent defense force from using NATO assets. Lord George Robertson and Javier Solana are to meet separately with Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Solana will be accompanied to the meeting by Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou. The two visiting officials will also meet with Foreign Minister George Papandreou. Speaking in Athens yesterday, NATO’s Robertson did not mention Greece’s objections but stressed that it would be good if the problem could be solved before the NATO summit in Prague in November. Greece objects to a deal with Turkey accepted by its other 14 EU partners in which Turkey, which is not a member of the EU, will have a say in the activities of the EU force. Athens argues that this impinges on its sovereign rights and has asked for changes to the agreement drawn up by Turkey and Britain that will prevent this. So far, however, there appears to be no indication that the gap with the other EU members will be bridged. «NATO-EU cooperation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a perfect illustration of the potential of cooperation,» Robertson told an Economist Conference on «A New Security Network for the 21st Century.» «By coordinating the political, military and economic influence of the two organizations, we have been able to prevent a civil war from breaking out in a vital strategic area. Which makes it all the more obvious, and urgent, that the last barriers to full NATO-EU cooperation must be removed as soon as possible – before or by Prague.» Papantoniou, who was visiting military units on the eastern island of Samos yesterday, said that the issue «is an EU issue and we will solve it within the procedures foreseen by the union.» He added that «what is required is that we find a solution that is in line with Greece’s national interest but also of benefit to European unification in the spheres of politics and defense.» The issue was discussed by the EU’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, but no progress was made. In his speech, Robertson focused on the need for an international security network to fight global terrorism. «We no longer have the luxury of ambiguity or indecision,» he said. «A famous line by Samuel Johnson has been much quoted in recent weeks – the prospect of hanging in a fortnight concentrates the mind. Sept. 11 showed us the gallows. The new security threats are not abstract any longer. They are here. They are real. And they are lethal,» he added. «Today’s security threats have taken advantage of the infrastructure of globalization – to support each other, to feed each other, to build on each other. They have networked. The result is a clear and present danger to our citizens, and to the stability of the international system,» Robertson said. «Our challenge, as an international community, is to dismantle this network. To prevent, or stop regional conflicts. To stop the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. To defeat terrorism… To accomplish this we need an international security network,» Robertson said.
