Sarkozy-Rasmussen:Strong EU role in NATO and Afghanization of conflict as Turkey vetoes EU-NATO deal

* Paris, Presidential Elysée palace, 3.9.09.      A stronger EU role inside NATO after France's full return, particularly when the trans-Atlantic alliance needs to change to fit to the modern Wold, but also an "Afghanization" of the on-going conflict at Afghanistan, with EU's help but no more soldiers, particularly as long as persists Turkey's notorious obstruction to EU - NATO agreements, badly needed in order to protect European soldiers from security risks on the spot, seem to be the main points of the meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and new NATO's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmusen, this evening in Paris.   

 In statements made afterwards at the Presidential Elysée palace to Journalists including "EuroFora", Sarkozy expressed his interest for "NATO to change Strategy in order to adapt itself to the New World context".   

 He strongly stressed that "France intends to fully play its role inside NATO, and, together with our friends and allies, to reinforce Europe's role in the trans-Atlantic Alliance".

    But Sarkozy, also anounced his support for the "Afghanization" of the conflict in Afghanistan, "so that, the soonest possible, Afghans become able to take over their own security and destiny, even if we stand by them to help", as he said.

    Even if he didn't yet clarify whether he meant a short or long-term Afghanization, however, informed sources, speaking to "Eurofora", didn't exclude that the problems notoriously provoked to EU -  NATO cooperation by Turkey's "vetoes", mainly because of Ankara's refusal to recognize EU - member State Cyprus, (as German Chancellor Merkel had already denounced at the eve of Strasbourg's NATO Summit, calling to solve them), were probably discussed by Rasmussen and Sarkozy, one day after he met here Cyprus' President Christofias (See earlier NewsReport).

    This might be one of the reasons for which Sarkozy stressed, after meeting with Christofias yesterday, that he finds "essential" for any country which wants to either enter or have a closer relationship with the EU, as France and others prefer for Turkey, to start by recognizing all EU Member Countries, including Cyprus, as French diplomatic sources said to "EuroFora", (See earlier Newsreports).

    Rasmussen, who had already faced a stubborn Turkish "Veto" against his own nomination as new NATO SG, which almost blocked April 2009 Strasbourg's NATO Heads of State/Government Summit, (See "EuroFora"'s Newsreports from this exceptional event), had just returned from visits to Greece and Turkey, (before arriving in France immediately after Christofias), where he notoriously spoke about these issues.
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    - '"France's full return" is "a decision of Historic dimension", which will not only help to change NATO, ameliorate trans-Atlantic relations and NATO's global role, but also to "stimulate the development of a European Security and Defence policy and EU's role inside NATO", declared from the outset Rasmussen, who was also Denmark's Prime Minister.

    Rasmussen also observed that, "for the 1st time, a European will take over the Direction of NATO's center in the US, at Norfolk;  where a French general will be appointed next week. "I count upon France's support to meet NATO's needs of reforms to adapt itself to the new challenges of the 21st century", he concluded, pointing at change and modernisation. France takes over top posts for NATO's Modernisation and Rapid Reaction Forces, at Norfolk (USA) and Lisbon (Portugal), with Generals Abrial and Stoltz, respectively.   

     Earlier, new US President Obama, who met with European leaders during 2 days in Strasbourg, at NATO's exceptional Summit, on April 3 and 4, decided to appoint as NATO's SACEUR (Supreme Military Commander), for the 1st time, someone with recent personal links to Europe : Amiral Stavrides, whose family were Greek refugees obliged to flee the Turkish army at Smyrne, (a story he reminds in one of his books). For the 1st time also, the new NATO's miilitary head, Amiral Stavrides comes from the Navy, at the same moment that EU and other Non-NATO countries (as China, Japan, etc) are "coordinating" various activities (including, fex. Police Training,  Satellite Telecommunication, "intelligent" Early Warning systems, etc), to protect Energy Transports by Ships from "piracy" and aggression, near Somalian coasts, the Suez channel, etc.  

 In a parallel move, the new EU Parliament chose on July 2009 in Strasbourg as President of its Security and Defence Committee the new French MEP Anrould Danjean, of the governing UMP (ChristianDemocrat/EPP) Party, elected at the Strasbourg's constituenxy, (See Statements by President Danjean to "EuroFora", in previious NewsReports). He is assisted by Cyprus' new Socialistt MEP, Kyriakos Mavronicolas, elected 1st vice-President of the committee : A former Defence Minister, and the 1st to succesfully overcome Turkey's objections against smooth cooperation between all EU member States and NATO, including Cyprus and Malta, already as early as during Luxembourg's EU Presidency back in 2005.

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    Meanwhile, Rasmussen reportedly called on EU and NATO to work more closely together in Afghanistan to rectify the current lack of cooperation which is putting troops in danger in the theater of operations :

    - "It has been impossible to conclude a security Agreement between NATO and the EU in Afghanistan", Rasmussen observed, as long as Turkey's obstruction persists (See supra).

    - But, "This raises security problems for staff on the ground", he warned, pointing at risks for more European soldiers to get hurt. That's why, "it's crucial to improve cooperation between NATO and Europe. he reportedly said in an interview whose full text will be published later by French newspaper Le Monde, anouncing more "initiatives" to try to overcome Turkey's obstruction the soonest.

    Rasmussen has recently pointed out that "there is no Military solution solely" in Afganistan, and that "we (have) to win Hearts and Minds" of the "Afghan People", "as well".

    He was developing an idea expressed earlier in Strasbourg, at NATO's April 2009 exceptional Summit, by his predecessor and friend, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who had practically stressed, speaking at the hometown of the European Court of Human Rights, that NATO needs Values in order to win at Afghanistan :  - "I can't send a 19 years old boy to Afghanistan without telling him that he's going there to defend Values". "And I need to be able to say to a Mother and a Father, when they get the body of their son killed in Afghanistan, that he fought for respect of and defence of Human Rights Values". "In Afghanistan, NATO's Military cannot make the difference. Because the key question will be a Political - Civil one",  stressed the experienced former OSCE Secretary General, f. Dutch Foreign Minister, and outgoing NATO's SG.  "I do not believe in the "Clash of Civilisations", but "I believe in Universal Values", which, "never forget, don't come accidentally. They have to be protected", Scheffer had added.

    Recently voices for a progressive withdrawal of Troops from Afghanistan grew in Germany, after various statements made not only by some Socialdemocrats or the Left, but even by a Defence expert of the Liberal Party, whose chief, Westerwelle, is generally believed to become the new Foreign Minister after the September 27 national Elections, as well as former Defence Minister, ChristianDemocrat Ruehe, that were not totally denied by the current German Defence Minister, the ChristianDemocrat Franz Joseph Jung, who reportedly refused to send more troops.

    Germany is currently shocked by revelations of an Al Quaida-like affair of Terrorism by so-called "Islamic" extremists accused to prepare Bomb attacks in Europe, involving also 3 individuals of Turkish origin, including a key-suspect named Mevlut K. who worked for Turkey's Secret Service "MIT" at least until 2002, according to confirmed German Press reports.