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Updated: 06-Mar-2003 13:03 February 2003

6-19 Feb. 2003
Chronology
6 Feb. 2003
10 Feb. 2003
11 Feb. 2003
12 Feb. 2003
16 Feb. 2003
19 Feb. 2003

 

Consultations on measures to protect Turkey

19 February 2003

NATO’s Defense Planning Committee authorises Alliance military authorities to implement, as a matter of urgency, defensive measures to assist Turkey.

16 February 2003

NATO’s Defense Planning Committee (DPC) meets. It agrees that NATO Military Authorities should provide military advice to the DPC on the feasibility, implications and timelines of three possible missions:

  1. preventive deployment to Turkey of NATO Airborne Early Warning Aircraft (AWACS);
  2. support for possible deployment by Allies of theatre missile defences to Turkey;
  3. support for possible deployment by Allies of chemical and biological defence capabilities to Turkey.

Decision by the Defence Planning Committee:
NATO to support Turkey within Framework of Article 4 - 16 February 2003

At the Prague Summit, the NATO Allies committed themselves to take effective action to assist and support the efforts of the United Nations to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions, with UN Security Council Resolution 1441. This remains our policy.

12 February 2003
  • North Atlantic Council meets from 20:00 to 20:45. NATO Spokesman Yves Brodeur says Allies were not able to conclude their discussions; countries that were not in a position to go along with the Secretary General’s proposal in the morning have not changed their position. The Council is expected to meet again tomorrow, 13 February, at a time to be determined.

Press conference - Audio (MP3/2.190kb) - High res. photos

  • North Atlantic Council meets at 9:45 to consider a new proposal put forward by the Secretary General Lord Robertson. NATO Spokesman Yves Brodeur says at press conference that the general view is that this is a sound basis for further consultations; the proposal focuses specifically on the defensive needs of Turkey.

Press conference - Audio (MP3/1.230kb)

11 February 2003
  • North Atlantic Council meets from 18:00 to 18:20. NATO Spokesman Yves Brodeur says at press conference there is no conclusion yet on the ongoing discussions. Informal consultations between Allies will continue in the evening and night;

Press conference - Audio (MP3/2.471kb) - High res. photos

10 February 2003
  • Morning - Three NATO member countries break the silence procedure and consultations continue;
  • Press conference - Audio (MP3/2.840kb) - High res. photos

  • Morning - Turkey invokes Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Article 4 states that NATO’s members will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any NATO country is threatened; Consultations continue;
  • Afternoon - Discussions continue; Member countries listen to a presentation by General Harald Kujat, the Chairman of the Military Committee, on the nature of the threat faced by Turkey; Consultations continue.

Press conference - Audio (MP3/1.941kb) - High res. photos

6 February 2003
  • NATO’s top decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, meets to consider a proposal by the United States to task the Alliance’s military authorities to begin planning deterrent and defensive measures in relation to a possible threat to Turkey;
  • The Council does not reach a conclusion, but a set of decisions is placed under silence procedure until Monday, 10 February. Silence procedure means that if no member country voices its opposition by the date and time specified, the decision is automatically adopted. It is a regular feature of NATO decision-making.

Press conference - Audio (MP3/2.959kb) - High res. photos