Baker to Make Marathon Tour of NATO Allies

Secretary of State James A. Baker III, getting a fast start in global diplomacy, plans a marathon tour of America’s NATO allies this month that may touch down in 14 countries in one week, the State Department announced Tuesday.

Baker wants to visit the foreign minister of every NATO member, “each one in his own capital,” State Department spokesman Charles Redman said.

” . . . If that’s possible,” he added.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has 14 members in Europe, stretching from Iceland to Turkey, as well as Canada and the United States.

“It would be strictly a working visit, no social events of any kind,” Redman said. “And, as you can imagine, not very lengthy stops in any one particular place.”

Campaign Pledge

Baker’s NATO blitz would fulfill one of President Bush’s campaign pledges--to begin his foreign policy by reaffirming U.S. ties to allies in Europe.

“It’s a killer trip, but it’s for a very important purpose,” a Baker aide said. “These are some of the most important people Secretary Baker will be dealing with over the long term.”

That may have been little solace to the secretary’s logistical staff, which was struggling Tuesday with the puzzle of scheduling stops in Reykjavik, London, Oslo, Copenhagen, Brussels, The Hague, Paris, Bonn, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Athens, Ankara and Luxembourg--all within a single week in mid-February.

And Baker has other promises to keep. The new secretary of state is scheduled to accompany President Bush to Ottawa on Feb. 10--thus taking care of Canada, the 15th NATO ally. He also will be traveling with the President to Japan, China and South Korea at the end of the month. And he may visit Europe again in early March for the opening of negotiations to reduce conventional armed forces in Europe.

All this from a man who, in the words of one senior State Department official, “hates jet lag.”