Czech NATO official: France may get ‘maximum possible help’.

France will receive the maximum possible help after the series of terrorist attacks in Paris if it asks its allies for it, Petr Pavel, Czech Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, told the papers Hospodářské noviny (HN) and Právo today.

“The state of emergency in France is its internal affair with no direct link to the Alliance,” Pavel said.

“Nevertheless, NATO’s representatives have offered help to France whenever needed,” he added.

                                 

“France has its own sources and forces. However, if it still concludes that it needs help, it will ask for it,” Pavel said.

“Unity and solidarity with France should be expressed in an action against the causes of the Friday terror in Paris,” he added.

“These are the steps in the sphere of NATO’s internal and external security. In this case, a united strategy towards the Syrian conflict, the settlement of the Middle East crisis and the elimination of Islamic State,” Pavel said.

“When I mentioned effective strategy against Islamic State and participation of all important countries in the steps, I also had in mind Russia,” he added.

“Not only on account of its size and military force, but also its physical presence in the Middle East,” Pavel said.

“Russia cannot be set aside from this as it is one of the vital factors of the solution to the crisis,” he added.

“Though reminiscent of the September 11, 2001, the situation should not invoke the use of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty,” Pavel said.

“So far, the reaction has been fully within the capabilities and authority of France,” he added.

“The statements by French President Francois Hollande should make all of us realize that this is not only the affair of the countries taking part in the coalition against Islamic State,” Pavel said.

“This is an affair of the whole of NATO and a much wider circle of countries,” he added.

“We should take more resolute steps to tackle Islamic State faster,” Pavel said.

“One can contemplate the upgrading of intelligence and reconnaissance means and ongoing operations,” he added.

“This will depend on NATO’s biggest countries,” Pavel said, when asked about the ground operation against Islamic State.

“Other countries do not have sufficient capabilities to launch an efficient ground operation,” Pavel said.

“I think this will be on the agenda of the North Atlantic Council meeting tomorrow,” he added.

“It is vital to preserve the values on which European culture is based and not to be swayed by Islamic State launching a terrorist attack here or there,” Pavel said.

Born in 1961, Pavel was Czech chief of staff between 2012 and 2015.

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