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A28 WORLD NEWS
Monday 6 July 2020
France-Turkey spat over Libya arms exposes NATO's limits

BRUSSELS (AP) — The fes- ejected from the military
tering dispute between organization. Legally, there
France and Turkey over a is no mechanism, and deci-
naval standoff in the Medi- sions require the unanimous
terranean Sea has shone agreement of all 30 mem-
a glaring searchlight on ber nations. In any case,
NATO's struggle to keep or- NATO insists that Turkey is
der among its ranks and ex- too strategically important
posed weaknesses in a mili- to lose.
tary alliance that can only In normal times, the United
take action by consensus. States — by far the most
The dispute has also re- powerful and influential of
vealed NATO's limits when the allies — could be ex-
its allies are or are per- pected to bring its partners
ceived to be on different into line. But the last four
sides of a conflict — in this years, with President Don-
case in Libya — especially ald Trump at the helm in
when a major nuclear ally the U.S. have been extraor-
like France has lamented dinary times for NATO.
the "brain death" at the Trump has publicly be-
world's biggest security or- rated European allies and
ganization due to a lack of Canada for not spending
American leadership. enough on defense bud-
According to French ac- gets. He has pulled out of
counts of the June 10 inci- the Iran nuclear agree-
dent in the Mediterranean, In this Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020 file photo, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, front right, speaks with ment, the Intermediate-
the French frigate Courbet French President Emmanuel Macron, front center, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Range Nuclear Forces
was illuminated by the tar- during a group photo at a conference on Libya at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Treaty and the Open Skies
geting radar of a Turkish Associated Press aerial surveillance pact,
warship that was escorting which the Europeans re-
a Tanzanian-flagged cargo the Turkish convoy. with two very different ver- criminal responsibility for a gard as important to their
ship when the French vessel He also suggested that a sions of what happened. country that claims to be a security.
approached. NATO probe into the in- On Thursday, Turkish Foreign member of NATO," Macron Just after Turkey invaded
France said it was acting cident was "inconclusive" Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. "We have the right to Syria, Trump announced
on intelligence from NATO and that France had pulled accused France of lying. expect more from Turkey that he was pulling U.S.
that the civilian ship could out of Sea Guardian. The "We have proven this with than from Russia, given that troops out, surprising and
be involved in trafficking French defense ministry reports and documents it is a member of NATO." angering his allies. In recent
arms to Libya. The Courbet rushed to release its version and gave them to NATO. It's not the first time Turkey weeks, he's threatened to
was part of the alliance's of events and underline NATO saw the truth," Cavu- has been at the center of take American troops out
operation Sea Guardian, that it would not take part soglu said. "Our expecta- controversy at NATO. An- of Germany, again without
which helps provide mari- in the operation until the tion from France at the mo- kara's invasion of northern consultation.
time security in the Mediter- allies had recommitted to ment is for it to apologize Syria last year angered its At the heart of the France-
ranean. the arms embargo on Lib- in a clear fashion, without allies, while its purchase Turkey quarrel is the ques-
In a power-point presen- ya, among other demands. ifs or buts, for not providing of Russian-made missiles, tion of whether NATO al-
tation to French senators NATO headquarters re- the correct information." which NATO says would lies should respect the U.N.
on Wednesday, which fused to provide details say- On Monday, French Presi- compromise allied defense arms embargo for Libya.
angered the French offi- ing the report is "classified," dent Emmanuel Macron systems, got Turkey kicked NATO Secretary-General
cials, Turkey's ambassador and it's unlikely that its find- had accused Turkey of out of the F-35 stealth fight- Jens Stoltenberg said last
to Paris, Ismail Hakki Musa, ings will be made public. A flouting its commitments by er program. month that the alliance "of
denied that the Courbet French diplomat said the ramping up its military pres- Despite concerns about course supports the imple-
had been "lit up" by target- investigators probably did ence in Libya and bringing its direction and close ties mentation of U.N. deci-
ing radar and accused the the best they could, given in jihadi fighters from Syria. with Russia — NATO's his- sions, including U.N. arms
French navy of harassing that they were provided "I think that it's a historic and toric rival — Turkey can't be embargoes."q

Prominent Israeli journalist, Netanyahu critic, loses TV job

JERUSALEM (AP) — A prominent Israeli journal- stories about Israel's relations with the U.S., the 13 said Ravid's dismissal letter cited him for hav-
ist known for breaking diplomatic scoops and European Union and other foreign partners. His ing poor "professional results." The person spoke
critical coverage of Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- reporting has upset Netanyahu at times, and on condition of anonymity because they were
tanyahu received notice Sunday he was being the prime minister has publicly rebuked Ravid discussing a personnel matter.
dismissed. in the past. Noa Landau, the diplomatic correspondent at
Barak Ravid, Channel 13 TV's diplomatic cor- In recent months, Ravid has had exclusive inter- the Haaretz daily and a friend of Ravid, said on
respondent, was among nearly 40 people who views with White House adviser Jared Kushner, Twitter that the dismissal has the "scent of a po-
received dismissal letters from the station, Israeli President Donald Trump's top Mideast adviser, litical assassination."
media reported. and the foreign minister of Bahrain, an Arab In a statement to Haaretz, Channel 13 said it
Anchorwoman Tali Moreno, veteran weather- country that does not have diplomatic relations was dealing with a financial streamlining pro-
man Danny Roop and political correspondent with Israel. He also writes for the online news site cess that has forced it to "bid farewell to out-
Akiva Novick were among other big names be- "Axios," and is known as a key source of informa- standing professionals."
ing let go. But it was Ravid's dismissal that raised tion among Washington insiders and Mideast It said the process could be continued "within
eyebrows. experts. the organization, not outside it," due to privacy
Ravid has gained a reputation for breaking A person familiar with the situation at Channel concerns.q