19/10/2010
Turkey has yet to decide whether it will support a planned NATO defence system during the Alliance's summit next month.
(Zaman - 19/10/10; Reuters, AP, AFP, Telegraph, The Washington Times, Defense News, US Department of Defence, Hurriyet - 18/10/10; Zaman - 16/10/10; Turkish Press - 15/10/10; VOA - 14/10/10; NATO - 11/10/10)
Turkey has yet to decide whether it will support a planned NATO defence system during the Alliance's summit next month.
(Zaman - 19/10/10; Reuters, AP, AFP, Telegraph, The Washington Times, Defense News, US Department of Defence, Hurriyet - 18/10/10; Zaman - 16/10/10; Turkish Press - 15/10/10; VOA - 14/10/10; NATO - 11/10/10)
US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates voiced hope Monday (October 18th) that Turkey will endorse a planned NATO anti-missile defence system in Europe, which Ankara insists should not be presented as aimed exclusively at fellow Muslim nations, particularly Iran.
The issue will be discussed during the Alliance's November 19th and 20th summit in Lisbon. The other items on the agenda include NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's proposal for pact's new Strategic Concept, as well as structural and institutional reforms.
Addressing a conference on US-Turkish relations in Washington on Monday, Gates said officials from the two countries have discussed Turkey's "potential technical and operational contributions", should the planned missile shield be endorsed.
"Contrary to some press reports, we are not pressuring Turkey to make a contribution," he stressed. "But we do look to Turkey to support NATO's adoption at the Lisbon Summit of a territorial missile defence capability."
For implementation, the plan must be approved by all 28 Alliance nations.
Ankara has indicated that while it is not opposed to the idea in principle, it considers it a delicate matter. The main concern of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is that if Turkey agrees to host some components of a system defined as aimed against Iran, the move may hurt its relations with Tehran, which it has been painstakingly trying to strengthen since it came to power eight years ago.
"We do not perceive any threat from any neighbour countries and we do not think our neighbours form a threat to NATO," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday.
His remarks came a day after he and Turkish Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul discussed the issue with Gates and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The issue will be discussed during the Alliance's November 19th and 20th summit in Lisbon. The other items on the agenda include NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's proposal for pact's new Strategic Concept, as well as structural and institutional reforms.
Addressing a conference on US-Turkish relations in Washington on Monday, Gates said officials from the two countries have discussed Turkey's "potential technical and operational contributions", should the planned missile shield be endorsed.
"Contrary to some press reports, we are not pressuring Turkey to make a contribution," he stressed. "But we do look to Turkey to support NATO's adoption at the Lisbon Summit of a territorial missile defence capability."
For implementation, the plan must be approved by all 28 Alliance nations.
Ankara has indicated that while it is not opposed to the idea in principle, it considers it a delicate matter. The main concern of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is that if Turkey agrees to host some components of a system defined as aimed against Iran, the move may hurt its relations with Tehran, which it has been painstakingly trying to strengthen since it came to power eight years ago.
"We do not perceive any threat from any neighbour countries and we do not think our neighbours form a threat to NATO," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday.
His remarks came a day after he and Turkish Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul discussed the issue with Gates and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Welcoming Washington's approach to the anti-missile shield, Gonul said Turkey's view is that it "should be developed within the NATO context" and that it should have the capacity to counter all kinds of ballistic missile threats.
Comments by Turkish officials on Monday indicated that Ankara has yet to decide on the matter. Officials say they first need to see more technical details.
Speaking at the conference in Washington on Monday, Gates said the system is crucial to NATO's efforts to adapt to the 21st century security environment.
"It is my hope that, at Lisbon, all of our NATO Allies will lend their support towards achieving this end -- for their own security and for the security of the Alliance that we have so steadfastly supported these 60 plus years," Gates said.
Comments by Turkish officials on Monday indicated that Ankara has yet to decide on the matter. Officials say they first need to see more technical details.
Speaking at the conference in Washington on Monday, Gates said the system is crucial to NATO's efforts to adapt to the 21st century security environment.
"It is my hope that, at Lisbon, all of our NATO Allies will lend their support towards achieving this end -- for their own security and for the security of the Alliance that we have so steadfastly supported these 60 plus years," Gates said.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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