The letter of assurances sent by the US State Department to Congress foresees the suspension or cancellation of all or part of the delivery of defense items provided to a NATO ally if those defense articles are used for non-legitimate military purposes.
According to the final draft by the US State Department at the request of Congress in the context of negotiations at the NATO meeting in Vilnius, the use of US defense articles for non-legitimate military purposes could lead to the suspension or cancellation of all or part of its delivery to NATO allies.
The July final draft, which Kathimerini has seen, states that US defense items provided to NATO allies must be used for the legitimate military purposes for which they are provided and must not be used to conduct provocative military activities against other NATO allies.
Analysts in Washington state that the letter, combined with the national security memorandum signed last week by US President Joe Biden on assurances to be provided by any country purchasing defense equipment from the US – as well as the strengthening of oversight over the final of that equipment – creates an additional safeguard for Greek interests.
As Kathimerini has repeatedly reported since the summer, the letter details the exact process the State Department intends to follow in the event that a NATO ally makes inappropriate use of the defense equipment it receives from the US.
More specifically, the State Department provides Congress with the assurance that if a NATO ally were to conduct repeated incursions against the internationally recognized borders of another NATO ally, the US would seek to resolve the situation diplomatically.
If the situation could not be resolved via normal diplomatic channels, the letter said, then the United States would use additional political and economic tools to resolve the situation.
This includes, if necessary, the implementation of provisions in relevant defense equipment transfer agreements with the country involved to suspend or cancel all or part of the delivery of the relevant defense items.
