The Attack to the Rhodes General Consulate Chancellary Building of Turkey No:117 - July 5, 2000 The President Sezer´s Visit to Azerbaijan No:118 - July 11, 2000 The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Mr İsmail Cem´s Travel to Ohri No:120 - July 12, 2000 The Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by Turkey No:121 - July 17, 2000 The Information Note on Turkish Views Regarding the Decision Adopted by the North Atlantic Council on 17 July 2000 on European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) and Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) (Unofficial Translation) IN:43 - July 18, 2000 The Visit of the Minister of the Republic of Georgia H.E. Irakli Menagarishvili to Turkey (Unofficial Translation) No:122 - July 21, 2000 The Visit of His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Turkey No:123 - July 22, 2000 The Ministry Foreign Affairs Concerning the Joint Statement on Regional Issues at the G-8 Summit No:124 - July 24, 2000 The of Secretary General of the PUK, Celal Talabani, to Turkey (Unofficial Translation) No:125 - July 24, 2000 The Visit of the Delegation of Turkish Minority Representatives No:126 - July 26, 2000 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the Camp David Summit No:127 - July 26, 2000 The General and Kosovo´s Chief UN Administrator Bernard Kouchner No:128 - July 28, 2000
  1. Press & Information
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  5. The Information Note on Turkish Views Regarding the Decision Adopted by the North Atlantic Council on 17 July 2000 on European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) and Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) (Unofficial Translation) IN:43 - July 18, 2000
The Information Note on Turkish Views Regarding the Decision Adopted by the North Atlantic Council on 17 July 2000 on European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) and Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) (Unofficial Translation) IN:43 - July 18, 2000

1. Turkey's views on the arrangements on Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) as adopted at the EU Feira Summit were brought to the attention of the public with the press release of the Foreign Ministry dated 20 June 2000 and the statement of the National Security Council dated 26 June 2000.

2. Within that context, it was stated that: European Security and Defence policies and their repercussions for the Alliance will be followed closely; EU's requests from NATO might be met only on a "case-by-case" basis; Turkey's contribution to the process will be proportional to its participation. It was also noted that Turkey will evaluate CESDP in the light of her national interests, while bearing in mind her responsibilities as a candidate for accession to the EU. The importance of avoiding the creation of inequality and division within the Alliance was underlined. Furthermore, it was stated that the decisions taken at the Feira Summit regarding the participation of non-EU European Allies to CESDP, including crisis-management, are not satisfactory and that those arrangements should be improved at the Nice Summit to be held in December. Indeed, Turkey's main objection is that the EU is trying to elaborate its relations with Turkey in the framework of CESDP solely on the basis of crisis-management, overlooking the previous decisions regarding the preservation of WEU acquis.

We currently sustain these views.

4. In order to implement the Feira decisions, the EU has approached NATO in order to benefit from the Alliance's force-planning expertise at the military/technical level for the materialization of the EU Headline Goal adopted at the Helsinki Summit. The EU has also proposed the establishment of four ad-hoc working groups with the participation of representatives of member states of both organizations.

5. These requests were subject to lengthy and arduous debates in the relevant NATO fora. Consequently, with a decision the North Atlantic Council adopted on 17 July 2000, arrangements were adopted as regards to both aspects of the NATO-EU relations.

6. During those deliberations, Turkey's views were clearly expressed at every opportunity with a view to having them reflected in the Council decision. These endeavours have indeed been fruitful. Moreover, a letter outlining our understanding of the Council decision was sent to our Allies by the Permanent Representative of Turkey. The letter was noted by the Council along with its decision.

The Council decision, while, on the one hand, allowing NATO experts to contribute to EU's planning activities solely by giving advice of a restricted nature on technical/military matters for a limited period of time, on the other hand, resolves the resumption of work at the ad-hoc groups that will consider various aspects of NATO-EU relations including the participation issue as of end of July.

7. All this work to be undertaken within NATO will be subject to close monitoring and supervision by the Council. It is also agreed that any further EU request will each be taken up by a new Council decision.

8. Furthermore, it will be possible to carry out the necessary work at the ad-hoc groups with the aim of improving the EU position with regard to the participation of non-EU European Allies in the CESDP, including its security and crisis-management aspects. We hope that the proposals which will be elaborated could serve to ameliorate the EU arrangements at the Nice Summit.

9. Turkey accepted this decision so as to avoid a division within the Alliance, which would portend a gap in security in Europe, as well as to ensure cooperation between NATO and EU for the development of CESDP. Turkey has also acted with an awareness of its responsibilities as a candidate country for accession to the EU.

The process will be closely monitored and by means of active participation, no effort will be spared to secure its evolution in line with the expectations of Turkey.

10. It goes without saying that there will be no automatic access by EU to NATO assets and capabilities and that any new request will have to be considered by the members of the Council including Turkey.

11. The achievement of a positive outcome from this lengthy and ardous process both for NATO and EU will undoubtedly depend on the EU attitude to the participation of non-EU NATO countries in the ESDI/CESDP activities.