DATE=12/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS (L)
NUMBER=2-257187
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  NATO foreign ministers say they support the 
European Union's plan to improve its military 
capabilities during the next few years, but the 
foreign ministers called for non-E-U members of NATO 
to be involved in the decision making.  V-O-A's Ron 
Pemstein reports from NATO headquarters in Brussels.

TEXT:  At this meeting, it was the foreign ministers 
from Iceland, Norway and Turkey that asked for the 
microphone.  Their countries have been invited to take 
part in a European Union plan for a rapid-reaction 
force of 50-thousand to 60-thousand soldiers by the 
year 2003.  However, as non-members of the E-U, their 
role in planning and decision making has been left 
vague.

The 19 NATO foreign ministers called on the European 
Union to find solutions satisfactory to all allies to 
involve the non-members.  They include six European 
countries: Turkey, Iceland and Norway, and the new 
NATO members -- Poland, Hungary, and the Czech 
Republic.

NATO Secretary-General George Robertson says the 
European Union needs to deliver on its commitments to 
build up its military forces.

               /// ROBERTSON ACT ///

      Intentions are all very good and new 
      institutions are very useful, but it is results 
      that count.  New and novel institutions will  
      not  stop a crisis.  They have to be connected 
      to real, relevant military capabilities.  So the 
      key to effective crisis management is having and 
      keeping modern, up to date forces that can deal 
      with the kind of crisis that we will have to 
      face in Europe and indeed in the Euro-Atlantic 
      area.

            ///  END ACT  ///

The E-U summit meeting last Friday in Helsinki agreed 
that NATO is the main defense organization for its 
members but they want a separate capability to act if 
NATO and the United States do  not  want to be 
involved. 

// OPT //  Turkish officials are concerned they would 
be  not  be involved in planning a European military 
operation but as NATO members, Turkey might be 
involved later if NATO's intervention was needed.  // 
END OPT //

The NATO ministers also condemned Russia's threats 
against unarmed civilians in Chechnya.  Secretary 
General Robertson says the pursuit of a military 
solution undermines Russia's legitimate goals.

            /// 2nd ROBERTSON ACT ///

      What we are saying is that disproportionate 
      violence in our continent, at this time, is 
      simply not acceptable and that not only is it 
      unacceptable, it is unproductive and it is 
      contrary to the Russian self-interest.  So we 
      ask simply that that advice be listened to, 
      because it is in the long-term interests of 
      Russia and the Russian people.

                  /// END ACT ///

The NATO ministers limited themselves to words.  As 
one NATO official says, "We do  not  have economic 
sanctions and we are  not  in the business of issuing 
empty threats."   (Signed)

NEB/RDP/JWH/WTW



15-Dec-1999 14:34 PM EDT (15-Dec-1999 1934 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.