EU in bid to heal rift over Iraq

By CATHERINE FIELD Herald correspondent

PARIS - Leaders of the European Union gather in a summit tomorrow aimed at calming a worsening row on the Iraqi crisis, grimly surveying the damage that has been inflicted to transatlantic relations over the past fortnight and to the EU's own strategic goals.

The extraordinary summit in Brussels is a frantic attempt to revive the EU's voice and make it heard as the United States prepares to strike Iraq. But diplomats say the mood is so angry that even the barest face-saving compromise might be elusive.

The 15 EU nations are profoundly split between a pro-war minority, led by Britain, and a majority led by France and Germany that are either anti-war, undecided or neutral.

The divisions erupted into the open late last month. On January 27, the EU Foreign Ministers jointly agreed to call for more inspections by UN weapons monitors in Iraq. Just two days later, Britain, Italy and Spain delivered a slap to France and Germany by joining five other non-EU countries in signing an open letter backing Washington's hawkish stance.

A Greek diplomat in Brussels, whose country called the summit as president of the EU, admitted yesterday that positions remained dismally far apart. "I'm not sure if there is going to be a statement [at the end of the summit], and still less if there will be a common position," he said.

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis warned last week that a failure tomorrow would plunge the EU into "a deep crisis".

The row has spilled over into Nato, igniting the Atlantic alliance's worst crisis in 20 years. France, Germany and Belgium are opposing proposals to shore up Turkey's defences, arguing that these steps are helping to create a logic for war while there is still time for a peaceful end to the crisis.

Why are France and Germany taking this path? A favoured argument is they are fed up with President George W. Bush's browbeating and fearful of an American foray into an unstable region on Europe's doorstep. So this is a golden opportunity to assert their independence.

One sign of this has been French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin's delight at the response his country has had by standing up to America.

"France is back on the international scene," he told Parliament. "

As for Germany, the crisis touches on a nerve of anti-American resentment and pacifism that dates back to the Cold War. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder skilfully exploited this during his election campaign six months ago when he pledged that his Government would not back any war against Iraq. But his "no" on principle contrasts with that of France, which is leaving its options open by saying the time is not right for a military offensive and that a war has to be approved by the United Nations Security Council.

The French and German tactics include rallying China and Russia to their side as fellow countries which are suspicious of US power. The two European nations may yet back down, but whatever happens they have infuriated Washington. This is not something to be taken lightly, for the US has been on a war footing since September 11 and is closely scrutinising how its allies respond in its hour of need.

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a hardliner in Bush's inner sanctum, has left no one in doubt that France and Germany, by their actions, risk being sidelined in a future world order.

Throwing petrol on the flames, the US tabloid press has blasted France and Germany as "the axis of weasels," a jibe that has been quickly picked up by the European media and portrayed as a sign of American jingoism.

The Iraqi crisis has already helped to destroy several cherished European notions. One is British Prime Minister Tony Blair's dream that he can be a go-between, a bridge between America and Europe. Another is Europe's belief that it can speak with a single voice on foreign policy and defence.

That idea now raises universal scorn.

If 15 nations cannot do it tomorrow, what is the likelihood that they can do it in 2004, when they will number 25?

Herald feature: Iraq