NATO broke a monthlong impasse Sunday over preparations in case of war in Iraq, reaffirming alliance solidarity while supporting U.N. efforts for a peaceful solution.
“Alliance solidarity has prevailed,” NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said. “We have been able collectively to overcome the impasse.”
After France was shut out of the room, two other holdouts – Germany and Belgium – dropped their objections to starting the planning for Turkey’s defense immediately, NATO officials said.
Belgium insisted at the last minute on linking any eventual NATO deployment to developments at the U.N. Security Council.
But the final statement only says, “We continue to support efforts in the United Nations (news – web sites) to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.”
NATO diplomats said the United States and other allies objected in principle to tying alliance decision-making to any other organization.
As information, France has never been a part of NATO’s Defense Planning Commission. They do not have the right to any input. The real problem children has been Belgium and Germany.