Eng. / Fr. / Ru. /NATO's assistance to Turkey and support to Poland were responses to requests made by the two countries; they reflect the Alliance's commitment to the security of its member states and policy of making its assets and experience available wherever and whenever they are needed.
The decisions were also the culmination of formal and informal consultations on a possible NATO role in Iraq, which began in 2002.
In November 2002, at the Prague Summit, NATO Heads of State and Government pledged their full support for the efforts of the United Nations to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions, with UN Security Council Resolution 1441, stating that this remained Alliance policy. At this time, however, there were no discussions of any specific NATO involvement.
In December, the United States proposed six measures, which NATO could assist take in the event of a possible military campaign against Iraq, should its government fail to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1441. These ranged from the protection of US military assets in Europe from possible terrorist attacks to defensive assistance to Turkey in the event of a threat from Iraq. These proposals were discussed at the North Atlantic Council but no decision was reached, as there was no consensus among member countries on the need for military action against Iraq.
In early February 2003, the United States put forward to the North Atlantic Council another proposal, to task the Alliance’s military authorities to begin planning deterrent and defensive measures in relation to a possible threat to Turkey. No consensus was reached on the proposal, with member countries disagreeing on the need for and timing of such measures.
In the morning of 10 February 2003, Turkey formally invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, asking for consultations in the North Atlantic Council on defensive assistance from NATO in the event of a threat to its population or territory resulting from armed conflict in neighbouring Iraq.
The request by Turkey was debated over several days, but no agreement was reached. Whereas there was no disagreement among NATO countries about their commitment to defend Turkey, there was a disagreement on whether deterrent and defensive measures should be initiated and, if so, at what point? Three member countries - Belgium, France and Germany - felt that any early moves by NATO to deploy defensive measures to Turkey could influence the ongoing debate at the United Nations Security Council in regard to Iraq and the effort to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.
On 16 February, with the cohesion of the Alliance under strain in the face of continued disagreement among the member countries, the Secretary General of NATO, acting in his capacity as Chairman, concluded that no further progress on this matter could be made within the Council.
On the same day, with the concurrence of all member countries, the matter was taken up by the Defence Planning Committee. Composed of all member countries but France, which does not participate in NATO's integrated military structure, the Committee was able to reach agreement on the next steps. It decided that NATO military authorities should provide military advice on the feasibility, implications and timelines of three possible defensive measures to assist Turkey. The Committee then reviewed this advice and on 19 February it authorised the military authorities to implement, as a matter of urgency, defensive measures to assist Turkey. These included missile defences, surveillance aircraft, as a well as chemical and biological defences.
This led to the formal deployment of Operation Display Deterrence in Turkey, from 20 February to 16 April 2003, with the first NATO defensive assets arriving in Turkey the day after the decision was made.
Following the end of the US-led campaign against Iraq the Polish government requested NATO support in the context of its planned leadership of a sector in the multinational stabilization force in Iraq.
On 21 May, the North Atlantic Council agreed to the request, tasking NATO’s military authorities to provide advice as soon as possible on what type of support could be given.
On 2 June, following a review of the advice provided by the military authorities, the Council agreed to aid Poland in a variety of supporting roles, including force generation, communication, logistics and movements.
