Brussels, 18/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The North Atlantic Council that extended into Friday evening did not manage to agree on guaranteed access for the EU to NATO assets for EU-led "Petersberg"-type operations due to Turkey's opposition (see below, as well as EUROPE of 16 December, p.6). The Atlantic Council's final press statement did, however, make proposals that, according to the Alliance, "are the basis for a permanent NATO/EU agreement" concerning Esdp. In particular, NATO foreign ministers welcome the conclusions of the Summit of Nice concerning the organisation of regular meetings between the Alliance and the EU, and say that NATO considrs that, "in each EU Presidency, there should be no less than three meetings between the North Atlantic Council and the Political and Security Committee, outside periods of crisis, and a ministerial meeting". Furthermore, the Presidency of the EU Council and the High Representative for Cfsp, as well as the Chair of the EU's Military Committee, will be invited to NATO meetings.
In his speech before the Atlantic Council, the High Representative for Cfsp, Javier Solana said that the arrangements provided for for European allies not members of the EU and applicant countries guaranteed that the interests of the latter would be taken into account in any EU decision to conduct a crisis management operation and that they would be allowed to participate in such operations.
Speaking before the Turkish press, Foreign Minister for Turkey Ismail Cem affirmed that "It is not fair to request unlimited access to NATO means and assets and at the same time fix rules and modalities. It is the EU that has made this request, and it is NATO that is able to provide the assets. However, the EU is seeking to impose arrangements for this process. We cannot accept it". Regarding information whereby "Turkey is seeking to enter the EU by the back door, by using the NATO pass card", Mr Cem gave his assurance that his government did not have such intentions, and that it was simply seeking to "defend the interests of Turkey within NATO". (For further details, see our "Atlantic News" publication).