NATO ambassadors considered a compromise deal today to break their deadlock over planning for the defence of Turkey in the event of a US-led war against Iraq, but deep rifts remained after four weeks of wrangling.
With Paris still refusing to back a decision it sees as an implicit acceptance that war is inevitable, the 19-nation alliance took the Belgian-proposed compromise to its Defence Planning Committee - at which France does not have a seat.
"I hope this morning we will be back on good sense and that 18 countries will agree that we should do these measures," a senior NATO diplomat said.
Belgium and Germany stuck by France through a crisis which has dealt a heavy blow to NATO's credibility. But the move to bypass Paris and try for a decision in the 18-nation Defence Planning Committee suggested they were anxious to strike a deal.
It was not certain a deal could be reached today and diplomats said further meetings could be needed this week.
"It's quite possible that by the end of the day we will have broad agreements on some aspects," said one diplomat after the Defence Planning Committee broke for lunch, 2-1/2 hours into its meeting. "But will we have a full deal? I don't know."