USIA - Top DOD Official Discusses U.S.-Turkey Defense Issues, 97-02-20

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TOP DOD OFFICIAL DISCUSSES U.S.-TURKEY DEFENSE ISSUES

(Speaks at American-Turkish Council conference Feb. 20) (660)

By Louise Fenner
USIA Staff Writer

Brigadier General Robert T. Osterthaler, deputy asstant secretary of defense for European and NATO affairs, reiterated U.S. concerns over Cyprus' announcement in January that it had signed a contract to purchase an anti-aircraft missile system from Russia. But he also cautioned Turkey that "it is not helpful to threaten military action as an opening response to a provocation such as this without first exhausting diplomatic means."

Osterthaler said the planned introduction of a missile system into Cyprus is "bad policy" and "destabilizing." He added, "We will do everything we can to prevent that deployment through diplomatic means.... We think it's more likely to be successful if we keep the rhetoric at a manageable level."

The general also said the United States "will continue to work with Turkey to make sure that some sort of comprehensive settlement (of the Cyprus issue) takes into account Turkey's concerns and Turkish Cypriot concerns." The United States does not support a dialogue between the Cyprus and the European Union on EU membership for Cyprus "until some of the fundamental problems are addressed," Osterthaler said. "We think it would be destabilizing."

He said the United States does support "Turkish integration into European institutions including the EU." However, he added that any effort by Turkey "to impede NATO enlargement ... is likely in my view to seriously strain Turkish-American relations and not be beneficial in the long run to Turkey."

Osterthaler stressed that NATO enlargement is in the interest of Turkey, central Europe, the United States, and Russia. "It will contribute to stability, to economic development throughout central Europe, to a faster recovery for the Balkan region, and it's in no one's interest that NATO enlargement be held up by being linked to EU enlargement," he said.

The general praised the Turkish government for its support of Operation Northern Watch, "which has enabled us to carry out a policy which is of great importance to the United States, a policy of constraining Saddam Hussein in a number of ways. Without Turkey's cooperation, that would not be possible."

Turkey and the United States are continuing to work out some operational details relating to Operation Northern Watch, Osterthaler said. "Two areas that are essential for the United States are rules that permit our forces to operate in a manner that doesn't unnecessarily endanger them and rules that enable us to accomplish the fundamental mission of Operation Northern Watch."

He praised Turkey as "an extremely important strategic ally" that has "been willing to shoulder its share of the burden of Alliance membership and the (U.S.-Turkey) bilateral partnership."

Osterthaler also expressed the Defense Department's frustration at congressional actions that have slowed down arms transfers to Turkey and said DOD and administration officials continue to talk with Congress on the issue.

"The DOD fully supports the president's initiative that the arms transfers to which we have committed should in fact be carried out," he said. "I wish I could tell you that we're very close to resolving those, but there continues to be concern on Capital Hill -- not necessarily about arms transfers specifically to Turkey -- but about introduction of additional armaments to a region where every time we think it may be settling down has yet another security problem of some kind."

He added that DOD "will continue to try in every way that we can to make good on the delivery of frigates and other arms transfer programs which are with the U.S. government policy."

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