Problem between Europe and NATO

BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- A problem in Brussels has blown up into a crisis. The Cyprus issue is the reason for this crisis. As Turkey put the brakes on the Cyprus issue, the European Union and NATO can’t make strategic decisions. I wrote yesterday that although it seemed to have softened with US President George W. Bush’s visit, the conflict between Europe and the US hasn’t been solved completely. The US wants to continue its strategic relations with Europe under the umbrella of NATO, whereas a group of European countries want to transform this into bilateral relations. Brussels favors holding discussions with Washington outside NATO. Some people think that the EU’s security and foreign policy will be strengthened this way. The US isn’t happy with NATO’s guardianship. During the war in Iraq, the EU attempted to establish a separate European command in Brussels, but this was received coldly by both the US and Britain. During Bush’s visit to Brussels, consensus was reached on many issues but this communications problem couldn’t be solved yet in terms of the future of transatlantic relations. Meanwhile, the Cyprus crisis within NATO caused Turkey to attract attention.
As you remember, a few years ago Turkey was about to exercise its veto in NATO due to the Cyprus issue. When Europe decided to establish its own foreign policy and military power, it wanted to make use of NATO’s facilities, but it faced Turkey’s resistance. This problem was solved during a 2003 Washington summit. The Berlin Plus agreement was signed between the EU and NATO. One of its provisions stipulated that Malta and Cyprus would be excluded from meetings between NATO and Europe and thus, Turkey was placated. So, why are we facing another crisis just two years later? For me, the crisis actually comes from Europe’s resistance to NATO. Washington tried to discuss with Europe within NATO such issues as terrorism. Europe replied, ‘We can do it, but Cyprus and Malta will participate in these talks with us, because they’re our members. We will either come with them, or not at all.’ Then Turkey said it couldn’t sit at the same table with Cyprus, based on the agreement. It stopped NATO and the process was blocked. What about the agreement? It emerged that there was a difference between the EU’s documents and NATO’s text. NATO’s version said that Cyprus and Malta wouldn’t participate in military meetings and strategic cooperation meetings between NATO and the EU. However, Europe’s said that they only couldn’t participate in military meetings. Of course, you can control the results on a platform on which you exist. If you’re not there, you can’t control them. For this reason, now Europe thinks all its members can participate in strategic talks. However, Turkey opposes this. Meanwhile, the US and Britain are saying to Turkey, ‘It’s in line with your interests to talk about such issues as terrorism in our strategic cooperation with Europe. Don’t resist.’ What will happen if Turkey resists? They say if Turkey resists, relations would develop with Turkey ignored. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his British counterpart Tony Blair discussed the problem last week, but no solution was forthcoming.