Malta's membership of the European Union - but not of the Nato military alliance - is contributing to problems in EU-Nato cooperation.

The ambassadors of the 26 Nato countries are supposed to hold meetings every two weeks on security issues with their EU counterparts.

However, the meetings have not taken place on a regular basis since EU enlargement because Nato member Turkey is objecting to the inclusion of Cyprus and Malta, although it is the former country that is thought to be the major stumbling block in resolving the situation.

Turkey is insisting that no Nato information should be discussed in front of non-Nato members, even though they are part of the EU.

Malta has always made it clear it does not want to join the Nato alliance. However, it is insisting that as an EU member and participant in the bloc's common and security policies, it has a right to be present whenever the EU and Nato meet.

Malta pulled out of Nato's Partnership for Peace in 1996, leaving it with no formal security arrangement with the alliance. As a result, Nato, on the insistence of Turkey, does not include the island in its information-sharing.

At the beginning of 2001, an EU political and security committee (PSC) was set up to act as a motor for joint security and defence policies. The EU ambassadors, as members of the PSC, were supposed to work closely with Nato ambassadors, who themselves meet at least once a week in the Nato Council.

The need for close collaboration between the EU and Nato became stronger recently after the EU took over responsibility from Nato for Operation Althea, the Bosnia peacekeeping mission. Another reason is that an agreement was reached in March last year in Berlin whereby the EU could make use of Nato's military capabilities when needed.

However, according to sources, communication between the two organisations is not taking place.

The problem with Malta's position is not considered to be the major one in relations between the two blocs. The Turkish-Cypriot problem is much more complex and difficult to resolve.

Cyprus, too, does not form part of the Partnership for Peace and since its EU membership, Turkey has blocked talks with Cyprus within Nato. Alliance diplomats had hoped that Turkey would soften its policy following the formal acceptance by the EU last year to open accession talks - a long-cherished Turkish aim. However, this has not been the case.

The sources said Ankara appeared to believe its blocking tactics would help force through its ambitions to join the EU. They added that Ankara's problem with Nicosia was an intensely emotional one, and a solution there was not yet in sight.

Last Thursday, during a ministerial Nato meeting in Vilnius, Germany Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher suggested that in order to circumvent the deadlock between Nato and the EU, the two organisations should start informal meetings to discuss a wider range of subjects.

The proposal is reportedly supported by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, although some EU members, notably France, are wary of Nato "competing" with the EU by discussing political issues in what has traditionally been a forum strictly reserved for security.

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