Eyes on missile shield negotiations after Lisbon deal
Ankara has long insisted that NATO's strategic concept document should have no references to any country as a threat and that the legitimization of the missile system should be made in general terms. Ultimately, at the summit held in Lisbon on Friday and Saturday, NATO leaders did not explicitly identify any potential enemy, although Iran is its main concern. “This defense system protects against ballistic missiles; it is not against this or that country,” President Abdullah Gül told reporters in Lisbon on Saturday.
“It protects against whoever has [these missiles] or whoever will have them, and this system will protect all member countries… These are matters of principle and the decision made yesterday [Friday] is one of principles, nothing more,” Gül said in remarks that also expressed satisfaction that the condition of “NATOizing” the system, which Turkey insisted on, was also met.
“NATOizing” the system refers to the idea that the system should supply protection to every member state and that the burden and risk should be shared on just and equal terms.
“Therefore a decision is made within the framework our wishes. We are pleased with this,” says Gül, who, along with Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, represented Turkey at the summit.
The allies opened their summit by agreeing on the first rewrite of NATO’s basic mission -- formally called its “strategic concept” -- since 1999. They reaffirmed their bedrock commitment that an attack against one would be treated as an attack against all. In that context, the agreement to build a missile defense for all of Europe is meant to strengthen the alliance.
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Cyprus debate delays deal on ‘strategic concept' European Union membership candidate Turkey's firm demand for more involvement in EU decision making on security issues led to a lengthy debate on the wording of the first rewrite of NATO's basic mission -- formally called its “strategic concept” at a summit in Lisbon -- reports said. Negotiations on the final wording of the strategic concept concerning EU-NATO relations took “over three days” and prolonged the leaders' dinner on Friday night, news portal EUobserver reported on Sunday, quoting NATO officials as saying NATO-EU relations remain blocked due to the Cyprus conflict preventing improvement of further cooperation between the two bodies. Greek Cyprus, representing the entire island as a full member of the EU since 2004, blocks Turkish participation in European defense institutions such as the European Defense Agency (EDA), the body set up to oversee EU defense policy. Turkey responds by obstructing the Greek Cypriot government's use of NATO facilities and NATO cooperation with Greek Cyprus on defense and security issues more generally. In the final text of the new strategic concept, the 28 leaders “welcome the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty,” while also pointing to the “significant contribution of non-EU allies” in addressing common security challenges, in an apparent reference to Turkey. “For the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU, their fullest involvement in these efforts is essential,” the document says. Ankara Today’s Zaman |
In the summit declaration, NATO leaders decided that the scope of NATO’s current Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense program’s command, control and communications capabilities will be expanded beyond the protection of NATO-deployed forces to also protect NATO European populations, territory and forces.
“The United States European Phased Adaptive Approach is welcomed as a valuable national contribution to the NATO missile defense architecture, as are other possible voluntary contributions by allies,” the declaration stated. US President Barack Obama also stressed that the plans will be built around the US system known as the Phased Adaptive Approach which he announced last year.
The Phased Adaptive Approach will involve the stationing of ship-based interceptors in the Mediterranean from 2011, followed by land-based interceptors in Romania from 2015 and in Poland from 2018. The United States is also keen to station a forward radar in Turkey, another NATO member state.
Days before the summit in Lisbon, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had already disclosed that among other “sensitivities” on the issue, Turkey also expects clear answers to technical questions such as who will have command and who will push the button. In Lisbon, NATO diplomats have said details, including command and control, will be worked out later.
“[Regarding] the matter concerning who will be given the command of this action…if something is considered that concerns our entire territory, then it [the command] should be given to us,” Erdoğan said in Seoul, after sharing Turkey’s concerns with US President Obama at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit.
Later, in remarks published on Friday just ahead of the summit, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu tried to clarify Erdoğan’s “command” remarks.
“We are not saying that Turkey should command the entire system. The command will be assumed by NATO of which Turkey is part and of course there are some sub-elements. If these principles are accepted at the NATO summit, these details will be worked out later. Whether or not an element of the system is located in Turkey, if Turkey has given its consent to this action, then it will accordingly claim it. We are a serious country,” Davutoğlu told the Turkish daily newspaper Radikal.
Among the questions which closely interest Turkey, such as command and location, other key questions about the missile shield -- will it work and can the Europeans afford it? -- were put aside for the moment by NATO members in the interest of celebrating the agreement as a boost for NATO solidarity.
2010-11-22
Muhabir: Today's Zaman with wires