Germany Refuses to Provide More Aid to Turkey

NATO's military headquarters has given its 19 alliance members until Friday to come up with concrete plans on the sort of military support they are willing to provide to Turkey if the alliance member is attacked by Iraq during a U.S.-led war against Saddam Hussein.

But as early as Wednesday night, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer let Germany's alliance partners know during a television interview that his government would not go beyond its current contribution -- 46 Patriot air-defense missiles and about 30 crew members for air surveillance planes.

On Thursday, Defense Minister Peter Struck seconded Fischer's statement. "I think we have done enough for Turkey," Struck said.

Aid granted after dispute

Germany grudgingly provided the missiles and crew members after putting up a fight this month with France and Belgium against a U.S. request to begin planning for military support to Turkey, the only NATO member to border Iraq. The three countries' vetoes triggered one of the worst crises in the alliance's 53-year history. After a week of negotiations, NATO Secretary General George Robertson solved the conflict by using an organizational tactic that took the French out of the decision-making process and had the alliance pledge to support the United Nations' effort to settle the conflict with Iraq peacefully.

Germany still has around 30 Patriot systems. In response to the question why the country's military needs to keep all of the systems in Germany, Struck (photo) said: "I didn't say we needed all of the Patriots. I just said we have done enough for Turkey."

In Washington, the situation is reversed. Leaders in the U.S. capital continue to await a Turkish green signal to give them permission to send in a force of 62,000 service members who could invade Iraq from the north. U.S. officials had hoped that they would get permission from the Turkish parliament on Thursday. But the vote was put off until Saturday in order to give the government more time to discuss the proposal with the opposition. The issue is difficult for parliamentarians for several reasons. Most Turks oppose any war against Iraq. At the same time, parliamentary refusal could create major political problems for Turkey, which has received U.S. support in its effort to join the European Union.

U.S. to pay up to $30 billion

In exchange for the stationing rights, the United States has agreed during long negotiations to provide Turkey with up to $30 billion in aid to offset any economic losses caused by a war.

The delay came a day after German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder pushed ahead in his effort to block a war against Iraq by traveling to Moscow to meet another opponent of the American drive, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After talks with Schöder at the Kremlin late Wednesday, Putin emphasized the need for a peaceful solution. "We must work further on a peaceful solution and make use of all diplomatic means," he said.

Putin said he thought that all of the possibilities that U.N. resolution 1441 held on the disarming of Iraq were "far from spent." At the same time, he rejected a U.S.-led draft resolution that foresees a swift military strike against Iraq. "For us, no resolution that automatically contains the right to use force is acceptable," he said.

Chancellor backs inspections

Likewise, Schröder said he was convinced there was still room for a peaceful resolution. "Baghdad must allow the continuation of inspections without any delay and must fulfill all requirements," he said.

The chancellor also underscored the common stance favored by Germany and Russia on Iraq. "Germany and Russia know from their own tortured experience what war means. And that's why the high level of agreement is moving," he said.

Wednesday's round of talks between Schröder and Putin was the latest move in their effort to prevent a war. It came as leaders wait to see whether Iraq begins to destroy mid-range Al Samoud 2 missiles by Saturday as ordered by the U.N. chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix. Blix says the missiles' range goes beyond the limit of 150 kilometers (93 miles) set by the Security Council in resolutions adopted after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Schröder's visit to Moscow is one of a series of meetings he has held in his drive to prevent a war. He last met with Putin two weeks ago in Berlin and talked with French President Jacques Chirac on Monday evening in the German capital. By contrast, he last talked to U.S. President George W. Bush by telephone sometime in November or December, a Schröder spokesman said on Wednesday.

The diplomatic maneuvers focus on the U.N. Security Council. France and Russia hold veto power in the council. Germany, a non-permanent member, holds the rotating presidency this month.