Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 7 2009

Weighing ‘non’ on French NATO bid

ANKARA – With France seen to be pouring cold water on Turkey’s EU bid,
NATO members are anxiously looking to see to what degree Turkey uses
its veto trump as leverage.

As many in NATO look to see Turkey’s reaction to France’s
announcement that France wanted to rejoin the organization’s military
arm, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Friday that Turkey was
evaluating the decision.

More than four decades after quitting NATO’s military wing, France
wants back in the fold. But as all decisions are made unanimously in
NATO, all eyes have turned on Turkey, which holds a right to
veto. Critics have said how Ankara reacts will be important,
considering the French blow to the country’s accession negotiations
with the European Union. Paris objects to the opening of five policy
chapters in Turkish-EU talks.

"What’s important is when and how the decision will be implemented by
NATO," Babacan told reporters at Ankara’s EsenboÄ?a airport
before departing for Munich, where he was to attend a security
conference.

Babacan said France was already an active member of the transatlantic
alliance and involved in some NATO operations, such as the operation
in Afghanistan. He said the issue had both legal and political
elements but that the political aspect was dominant.

"We are making an assessment of this. What’s important is the NATO
alliance remains strong as an international organization, but I
believe the decision process over the French application will be
discussed in the coming days," he said. Meanwhile French Prime
Minister François Fillon appealed to Ankara in search of an
appropriate time for a visit, learned the Hürriyet Daily News &
Economic Review. Although the timing of the request coincides with
the debate on the French return to NATO’s military wing, the sources
recalled that such a visit was long-planned and cannot be ultimately
linked to the NATO Summit that will take place April 3 and 4.

Irked by what it saw as a dominant role of the United States in NATO,
France pulled out of the NATO military wing in 1966. France’s Le Monde
newspaper covered the issue and said Ankara was holding an important
card, referring to Turkey’s veto power.

Babacan said NATO was considering the French decision. "But a large
portion of NATO member states are looking on this
positively. Processes are important here. I am sure the French will
submit the modalities on their return as soon as possible."Turkey has
resisted efforts by the European Union and NATO to cooperate more
closely, complaining that EU-member Greek Cyprus Ä? with whom it
has a longstanding dispute over the divided island Ä? is
blocking its bid for closer EU ties leading to membership.

Babacan, who will be in Munich between Feb. 6 and 8, will participate
in the Security Policies Conference and hold bilateral meetings on the
sidelines of the conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian."The timing of the meeting with the Armenian foreign
minister has been confirmed," he said. The two also met at the World
Economic Forum in Davos last week.

Babacan will visit Azerbaijan on Monday for talks with his
counterpart, Elmar Memmedyarov, and President Ilham Aliyev, according
to the ministry.