Gary Fitleberg, December 8, 2004

NATO will send a peacekeeping force to the Middle East only after an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, the organization’s secretary-general said.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer made the comment Wednesday at a news conference in Brussels. "The possibility that NATO will play a future role should not be ruled out, but we won’t come to the region without the consent of both sides," Scheffer said.

Scheffer made his remarks before a NATO foreign ministers conference set to begin Wednesday evening, in which representatives from seven Mediterranean countries, including Israel, are participating.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg