International   

Powell mission to mend fences with Europe

By Batuk Gathani

Brussels April 2. The United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, will arrive here on Thursday for talks with the European Union and NATO officials in an effort to mend the rift over the war in Iraq. It is a delicate mission and ostensiblym Gen. Powell will brief the European and NATO officials on the course and strategy of the war, as the crucial battle for Baghdad looms on the horizon.

The European leaders are expected to urge the Bush administration to give the United Nations a prominent reconstruction role in the post-Saddam Iraq.

The war has already split the E.U. and the issue has become emotive and political on both sides of the Atlantic. Gen. Powell's sudden visit to Europe has been greeted with enthusiasm by European officials, he is seen as the "more acceptable and cordial'' face of the Bush administration.

In the 15-member E.U., Spain, Italy and Portugal have backed the British stance on the war, while other E.U. states led by France and Germany have expressed their opposition to it.

The Europeans are worried over the daunting prospects of a rising tide of global terrorism in the background of growing anti-American sentiments in the Muslim world. Gen. Powell will first try to resolve the differences over Iraq. He will also meet the Russian Foreign Minister as Moscow has expressed a desire to play a role in the reconstruction of Iraq. Gen. Powell will later meet Lord Robertson, the Secretary General of NATO.

Gen. Powell will hold talks with the E.U.'s "troika" consisting of George Papandreou, the Foreign Minister of Greece, Javier Solana, the European Foreign and Security policy chief and Chris Patten, the E.U. External Affairs Commissioner.

U.S.-Turkey accord

The United States and Turkey agreed on Wednesday on an ``early warning'' system to avert friction between Turkey and Iraqi Kurds. The agreement, worked out by Gen. Powell and Turkish leaders, was designed to reduce any likelihood of Turkey moving military forces into northern Iraq.

At a joint news conference in Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, said ``new doors will open for us'' in cooperating with the U.S. Gen. Powell said Turkey also had agreed to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance to Iraq. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• U.S. move to lay siege to Baghdad
• PoW rescued in U.S. raid
• Victory at hand: Saddam
• Pentagon lashes out at war plan critics
• `Resolve crisis through U.N.'
• A humanitarian issue: Annan
• Powell mission to mend fences with Europe
• China takes steps to check disease
• Russia protests bombing
• Pak. a peaceful country: Musharraf
• Pak. Senate condemns war
• South Korea to send `non-combat' troops
• Pak., China sign charter on defence ties
• 'Pak. missile n- programme indigenous'
• Arundhati Roy, Jemima Khan flay Bush, Blair

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu