Greece holds up key deal on Union’s relations with NATO

Date: 23/11/00

By Simon Taylor

GREECE is holding up an internal EU agreement on military cooperation with NATO because it wants to limit Turkey's involvement in the Union's plans for an independent military force.

EU diplomats say Athens is the only country which has not given its full support to an accord which would involve members of the transatlantic alliance in twice-yearly meetings to discuss possible operations by Union-led troops.

News of the disagreement emerged as EU defence ministers announced a breakthrough in efforts to create the rapid reaction force this week, with governments revealing the number of troops and amount of equipment they would commit to the Union's planned 60,000-strong force, designed to handle future crises like Kosovo.

Diplomats say Athens' objections are now the only obstacle standing in the way of winning NATO's approval for the EU's new crisis management force. They hope that the problem can be ironed out in time for NATO defence ministers to endorse the Union agreement at their meeting on 6 December.

This would represent a major breakthrough in relations between the two organisations and open the way for a further accord to be struck in the first half of next year to give EU countries automatic access to NATO's military hardware. Despite the Union's efforts to create its own force, diplomats admit that the EU will be reliant on NATO equipment for years to come.

Athens' decision to hold up the deal reflects long-standing tensions between Greece and Turkey over the fate of Cyprus which escalated recently after a NATO military exercise ended in bitter exchanges when Greek troops landed on Turkish territory.

Improvements in the relationship between the Union and Turkey also suffered a setback this week after Greece insisted on linking progress in finding a solution to the dispute over Cyprus to Ankara's bid to become a member of the EU. But Turkish officials have indicated that the Union's latest proposal on working with NATO is a "good basis" for discussions. "The EU has showed willingness to listen to Turkey's concerns," said one.

NATO member Turkey has been one of the biggest obstacles to the Union's plans to set up an independent military force. Ankara has been blocking NATO's attempts to forge close ties with the EU, arguing that the Union will expect to take advantage of its military equipment and expertise without giving it a proper say in EU-led operations. "The Turks think the operations will be in their backyard but they see themselves being pushed to the edge," said one diplomat.

Turkey has nevertheless promised the biggest contribution by a non-EU country to the reaction force, pledging up to 6,000 troops and several sea vessels and fighter aircraft.Ecevit's stark warning over Cyprus

Greece is holding up an internal EU agreement on military cooperation with NATO because it wants to limit Turkey's involvement in the Union's plans for an independent military force.