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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation '[This question of a possible role for NATO in Iraq is not topical', French Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Michel Barnier, April 2'NATO MINISTERIAL MEETING NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL' PRESS BRIEFING GIVEN BY M. MICHEL BARNIER, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - EXCERPTS - (Brussels, 2 April 2004). (...) Let me simply mention the main points we've worked on since this morning: - First, the European Union's forthcoming takeover of the NATO operation in Bosnia; this will be the first EU operation of this magnitude - I'm not forgetting Macedonia - making use of NATO assets under the "Berlin Plus" commitments and arrangements. Here again, the European Union is demonstrating its sustained commitment to a genuine defence policy leading to a European defence. Along with many others, I am happy to witness the practical implementation of that policy. - The need in Kosovo to do everything possible to ensure that the NATO operation, KFOR, contributes to stabilizing the situation in that region. We also talked about this subject with my Russian colleague. As you know, France will take over the command of KFOR towards the end of the year. - The state of NATO's commitments in Afghanistan, and the necessity to ensure that the NATO missions in support of the Afghan government are implemented with all the necessary means. France is contributing to this effort and will participate with the general staff of Eurocorps in the command of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) from August. I've just mentioned Kosovo, then Afghanistan. There you have two operations which are absolutely the two principal operations of NATO and in which France has played a very important part, one that will increase still more in the weeks and months ahead. We are also - I shall check this point with our ambassador - the third-biggest contributor to these NATO operations. Other, broader discussions took place, like those which are gearing us up for the Istanbul Summit, on 28 and 29 June this year. We are working to prepare for that major event. Among the initiatives discussed in the run-up to the Summit, as you know, was a proposal to develop links between NATO and the countries of the Middle East, above and beyond the very useful relations that already exist with the Mediterranean countries within the Mediterranean Dialogue. We think there is a need to define a general political framework that includes a regional security dimension. It is within such a political framework that we could first consider and then possibly integrate NATO's proper contribution to that zone, which to say the least is at the heart of very serious and very powerful political tensions. We have reminded all our colleagues of France's wish that nothing should be decided in NATO in this regard until steps have been taken to test the willingness of the countries of the area to commit themselves to this course, and until we have carefully assessed the degree of their real interest in taking part in such cooperative measures. It was in this spirit that the Secretary-General of NATO received the mandate to go to the area and hold exploratory consultations. It is on the basis of the reactions he observes, he gathers in all the countries, that it will be possible to determine, by the time we meet in Istanbul, what contribution NATO might make. The other point on which I myself spoke when we went round the table earlier today is that of a possible role for NATO in Iraq. Simply to repeat the French position, which is both very firm and very well known. We think that NATO is simply not the right place to elaborate our decisions concerning the situation in Iraq after 1 July, that is, following the establishment of a sovereign government; so I think this question of a possible role for NATO in Iraq is not topical. (...)./. Source: French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, http://www.diplomatie.fr. © 2003 The Acronym Institute. |