Brussels, 07/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Co-operation between the EU and NATO, the situation in the Balkans and combating terrorism were the three topics broached at the ministerial meeting between the EU and NATO, in Brussels on Thursday, in the presence of American Secretary of State, Colin Powell. "We welcomed the sound co-operation on a pragmatic basis between the EU and NATO", stressed the President of the EU Council, Louis Michel, citing the Balkans as example, where, without formal agreement between the Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, the High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson, conducted an action that "enabled the worst to be avoided" "The joint efforts in the Balkans demonstrated that the two bodies can co-operate on issues of substance, and it is clear that their actions are complementary", added Lord Robertson.
The meeting, however, did not allow for progress on the conclusion of a definitive agreement for the EU's use of NATO assets, as an agreement between the Fifteen was blocked by Greece. Most ministers intervened to praise Turkey's efforts to reach an agreement on this issue that it has been blocking for a year (see EUROPE of 5 December, p.4). French Minister Hubert Vedrine welcomed the "outcome that seems close". British Minister Jack Straw said that he was pleased to have been able to have helped the Turkish issue to progress, hoping for a settlement soon to the benefit of all (the Director General of the Foreign Office, Peter Rickett, acted as mediator: Ed). Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem welcomed these positive comments.
Greece, represented by its ambassador, however, let it be known that "the agreement still needs finalising". Athens would still like to secure the assurance that a "third country" could not block participation by a candidate country (in this case: Cyprus) in the common foreign and defence policy. The British, which, were the architects of the agreement with the United States, insisted that the text defined this week with Ankara should not be modified. The idea of a declaration annexed to the text was raised. Should there be an agreement at Monday's General Affairs Council, it could then quickly be confirmed by an exchange of letters between Lord Robertson and Javier Solana.
Whereas Louis Michel refused to make any comment on "this delicate issue", when speaking to the press, Lord Robertson simply welcomed this "step in the right direction". Javier Solana said that he believed that "the agreement with Turkey is positive". "I hope that it will be studied by the Fifteen and that the problem will be resolved by Monday, or in Laeken", he added. Louis Michel recalled that the Laeken Summit would have to declare that common foreign and defence policy was "operational". American Secretary of State Colin Powell urged the EU to play a greater role in conflict prevention, whether NATO was involved or not, and recalled that the construction of a European defence demanded difficult budgetary choices. An argument that Jack Straw also took up.
Turning to the Balkans, the Commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten pointed out that two of the three conditions necessary to organise a donors meeting for Macedonia within a few weeks had been met, but that they were still waiting for the law on local authorities to be adopted. During talks, Javier Solana stressed that pressure had to be kept up for this condition to be met, and also said that his contacts with Montenegro allowed him to be optimistic over the resumption of the dialogue between Montenegro and Belgrade.
Regarding the fight against terrorism, the Europeans presented the ongoing implementation measures in the framework of the "roadmap", reiterating their will to consolidate the coalition that had formed since the 11 September attacks, said Louis Michel. Colin Powell stressed that terrorism was now a key problem, but that it had "not to take foreign policy hostage", nor the question of NATO enlargement or co-operation in the Balkans.