Nato to hold meeting on Turkey plan without France

Brussels, Feb 16: Nato countries were hold a meeting on Sunday of the alliance`s Defence Planning Committee, on which France was not represented, to try and end a crisis over planning related to a possible war in Iraq, an alliance spokesman has said.

Brussels, Feb 16: Nato countries are to hold a meeting today of the alliance's Defence Planning Committee, on which France was not represented, to try and end a crisis over planning related to a possible war in Iraq, an alliance spokesman has said.

The meeting, which would be for "consultations," would be followed during the day by a full meeting of all 19 Nato ambassadors, said the spokesman. He added that talks had been convened by Nato Secretary General George Robertson.

The crisis blew up last week when three of Nato's 19 members - France, Germany and Belgium - refused to endorse a plan to begin helping Turkey, another member, defend itself in the event of a US-led war on Iraq.

The three countries argued that the move would prejudge the issue of whether or not a war should take place, something that was still hotly contested.

Nato officials have suggested that a compromise could be found in talks that did not include France, widely seen as the main country blocking the plan.

Bureau Report