VIEWPOINT FROM LONDON

NATO: A CLUB WORTH JOINING?

by Brian Gallagher

The Croatian Herald, Australia No. 955 - 21 February 2003

 

The approaching war with Iraq has created serious divisions within NATO, the European Union and the United Nations.

Without going into the rights and wrongs of the war against Iraq, or the manoeuvring within NATO, it is important that the implications of these divisions for Croatia is considered.

NATO operates on the principle that an attack against one is an attack against all. However, the French and Germans were able to prevent NATO from preparing to help Turkey in the event of an attack by Iraq.

The question must then be asked, if Croatia joins NATO, and is attacked - let us say by Serbia - would NATO come to her aid? Quite possibly not, it seems. During the 1991 war, Britain and France prevented any help to Croatia. If they considered it in their interests, they could veto help for NATO member Croatia in the future.

Certainly, the British attitude to Croatia has not changed; witness how they - and the Dutch - suspended ratification of the EU- Croatia SAA agreement because of the Bobetko affair.

We should not believe then that Britain, France - or any other NATO state for that matter - would not in pursuance of their own interests prevent NATO military aid to Croatia if she needed it.

Quite apart from that, the United States will clearly not rely on NATO for a long time to come. The Kosovo campaign's NATO divisions did not please the Americans; after the Turkey debacle they will be less inclined to take NATO seriously.

Without United States support, NATO is a talking shop. And without even the assurance of guaranteed help, would NATO then be a club worth the expense of joining?

As for the EU, the common foreign policy is non-existent. Further, French President Chirac's outburst against the Vilnius 10's statement of support for the United States - including Croatia - demonstrates that he expects total obedience from these countries as a price for joining the EU.

The Iraq crisis has shown that countries act in their own interests, regardless of "united" rhetoric. Whatever Croatia does, in relation to joining the EU and NATO, it must recognise this fact. And it must also recognise that some NATO/EU member's interests may be quite hostile to Croatia's.

 

© Brian Gallagher

My 'Viewpoint from London' column appears fortnightly in the Australian 'Croatian Herald'.