Saragossa, 25/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - At their informal meeting in Saragossa, the European Defence Ministers confirmed there would be no European intervention in Macedonia before a final arrangement with NATO has been concluded on the use of Atlantic Alliance capabilities for European Union-led operations. After an in camera discussion lasting half an hour on Saturday morning with the High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, on the subject of prospects for such intervention, the ministers also acknowledged the fact that there could be no intervention until after the elections of 15 September in Macedonia, and until after detailed discussion with the United States on the modalities of its possible withdrawal from the region. The United Kingdom and Greece stressed during debates that European intervention should not appear, in the eyes of the population, like disengagement from the region on the part of the United States, said one European diplomat.
Javier Solana recalled before the press the terms defined at the Barcelona Summit: The EU is willing to take over from NATO's Amber Fox Mission in Macedonia, if this is "requested or needed", but before this the EU and NATO must conclude a definitive agreement on the security features of document exchange and a permanent agreement on the use of Atlantic Alliance command, communication and planning capabilities. "We are close to an agreement on security", he assured. Regarding the agreement on the use of NATO assets, currently blocked by Greece, Javier Solana is expected to be in Athens mid-April to negotiate high technical level meetings with Greece, after having initiated meetings with Spanish Presidency last Friday in Madrid, according to the mandate entrusted to them by the Barcelona Summit. "I believe that we shall be able to reach a solution in a relatively short time", said the High Representative, who gave his assurance that, in his view, an ad hoc agreement with NATO for European intervention in Macedonia would not be necessary. "Absolutely all the ministers agreed that an agreement on the use of NATO assets must be concluded before the end of the Presidency", said the Spanish Defence Minister, Fernando Trillo.
Greek Minister Yannos Papantoniou immediately qualified this optimism by declaring that Greece is engaged in these discussions and trusts that the EU will be more involved in the Balkans, but that it is not kept to a timetable. He recalled that Greece does not agree to subscribe to the "Ankara compromise" on Turkey's involvement in future decisions on EU military intervention, concluded last November, outside the Community decision-making process by the United Kingdom, the United States and Turkey. The ministers insisted that the independence of the EU's decision-making process should be safeguarded, saying: "the problem is that the EU's autonomy must be ensured when the EU takes decisions that do not involve the use of NATO capabilities". According to a senior Greek official, however, Athens also hopes to reach an agreement before the end of the Spanish Presidency and agrees that Ankara's compromise should be used as a "working base". "We shall be constructive", said the same source, adding: "Changes are not major - it is just a matter of changing a few words".
Greece above all challenges the second paragraph of the Ankara compromise on the modalities for consultation of NATO members when the EU takes a decision on an operation within the framework of ESDP. "We do not like this long consultation process when it is a matter of a decision that will not involve the use of NATO means", said one Greek high official. "We cannot create a dangerous precedent for the future of ESDP by inviting a third country to take part in the decision-making process. In order to guarantee the future, we must today take a decision founded on independence and transparency", said the same source. German Minister Rudolf Scharping was also very cautious and said he did not expect "an agreement within NATO in the months to come" and that intervention in Macedonia would not be before September, at the very earliest.
In the meantime, the EU's Military Committee and Political Committee have begun work in preparation of possible intervention on the basis of the conclusions of the Barcelona Summit.