ISTANBUL - NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Saturday that allegations saying that the hidden agenda of the 17th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Istanbul was Greater Middle East Initiative were not correct.
De Hoop Scheffer visited TCG Salih Reis, one of five NATO navy ships anchored at Istanbul harbor on the occasion of the NATO Summit in Istanbul to be held between June 28 and 29, 2004.
Replying to questions of reporters, de Hoop Scheffer said that he boarded a Turkish ship for the first time.
De Hoop Scheffer stressed that NATO had been exerting significant efforts against terrorism.
Describing Istanbul as a bridge between the continents, de Hoop Scheffer said that it would be an interesting and successful summit.
Upon a question, de Hoop Scheffer told reporters that NATO's agenda was well-known by everyone, denying allegations saying that the hidden agenda of the 17th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Istanbul was Greater Middle East Initiative.
Noting that NATO wanted to strengthen Mediterranean Dialogue, de Hoop Scheffer said that dialogue might be established with the Gulf countries who were giving positive signals recently.
When asked whether or not he expected that participants would make a decision at NATO Istanbul Summit about presence of NATO in Iraq, de Hoop Scheffer said that NATO ambassadors in Brussels made a decision yesterday about training of Iraqi security forces by NATO in line with a letter of the Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad al-Alawi. He added that they expected NATO heads of state and government to ratify that decision.
Upon a question about harsh reactions to likely presence of NATO in Iraq, de Hoop Scheffer said that NATO would make such a decision in line with the resolution of the United Nations Security Council no: 1546, adding that they responded to the letter of a sovereign and legitimate government.
There are five ships of Turkey, Greece, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria at Istanbul harbor for the summit.
(UK-BRC) 26.06.2004