Britain vows to back US on Euro force
By David Wastell in Washington
(Filed: 04/02/2001)
THE Government will throw preparations for the European Rapid Reaction Force into confusion this week by threatening to undermine any operations that conflict with American wishes.
In an attempt to calm United States concerns about a split from Nato, Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, will promise the new Republican administration that Britain would not let the new defence force act without US support.
The pledge, however, will put Britain at odds with other European allies. While the Government can refuse to send British troops, warships and aircraft to any Rapid Reaction Force operation it opposes, it will have no power to veto action by other members.
Mr Cook flies to Washington tomorrow to meet Dick Cheney, the Vice-President, and General Colin Powell, the Secretary of State. He will tell them that the Government regards the Nato alliance as so fundamental to Britain's national interest that it would not agree to anything that was against America's wishes, a senior official at the Foreign Office said last night.
While insisting that Mr Cook's pledge would not amount to giving America a veto, the official said that it was "impossible to envisage" the Government backing an operation in the face of American opposition. Asked whether other European countries could go ahead without American support, the official said: "None of us can envisage a situation in which that would happen, and we would not let it happen."
The official failed to explain how, other than by persuasion, Britain could prevent its European allies from launching an action of their own. Mr Cook's visit will be the first face-to-face meeting by any foreign minister with General Powell since George W Bush became president. He will also meet Mr Cheney and Condi Rice, Mr Bush's new national security adviser, for talks that will pave the way for Tony Blair's visit to Washington later this month.
Although General Powell and Miss Rice have both signalled that the Bush administration supports the new defence force, as long as it does not weaken Nato, other senior Republicans including members of Congress have doubts. Mr Cook will be "extremely robust" in addressing their concerns, the official said.
He will also discuss measures to tighten the sanctions regime against Saddam Hussein, including a possible crackdown on the smuggling of oil and other goods through Syria, which The Telegraph revealed last month is now running at an unprecedented level. Officials refused to say what steps could be taken ahead of Mr Cook's talks on Tuesday. General Powell said when accepting his new post that he would seek ways to "re-energise" sanctions against Iraq.
Meanwhile, European ministers yesterday were attempting to prevent a further widening of the rift with America over plans for a new missile defence system. At an international conference on defence in Munich, Gerhard Schroder, the German chancellor, said that the European allies should be ready to discuss the proposals with the US.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jht.../04/werrf04.xml
French role in war on terror heralds warmer ties
Found in http://www.dcexaminer.com August 29, 2005
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