MIDEAST-CRISIS/TURKEY SPOKESMAN Turkey in talks with NATO to boost defence capabilities

Record ID: 136158

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/TURKEY SPOKESMAN Turkey in talks with NATO to boost defence capabilities
  • Date: 9th October 2015
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (FILE - OCTOBER 5, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE GATE
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZE4L3H4ZH8ES5BYDXK8KGC4F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: NATO-member Turkey was continuing talks with the alliance and bilateral partners on enhancing its defence capabilities, including Patriot missile systems, its foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday (October 9).
    "Turkey continues talks with NATO and bilateral partners on enhancing its defence capabilities, including Patriot missile systems," foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic told reporters in Ankara.
    The violation of Turkish air space by two Russian jets last weekend brought the Syrian conflict across NATO's borders, but Bilgic said that, as yet, no Russian delegation had been sent to Ankara to provide information on the incursions.
    He also said Ankara had not made a request for NATO to send military forces to Turkey.
    "NATO Secretary-General said a very high readiness joint task force could be dispatched to Turkey but this requires a council resolution. Turkey has not made such a request for the moment."
    Bilgic said Ankara was concerned about the potential for a fresh wave of Syrian migrants arriving at its border as a result of Russian air strikes in Syria.
    A mass influx of refugees, many from Syria, has unleashed a crisis in the European Union. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose country hosts more than 2 million migrants, has accused the bloc of an inadequate response.
    "With Russia's air operations in recent weeks - and we see that the majority of these air strikes target the opposition - there is naturally the potential for a wave of migrants to emerge. We are concerned about that. We are also aware that this situation causes unease among people as well," Bilgic said.
    Turkey's NATO envoy urged the alliance on Thursday (October 8) to keep up missile defences along its Syrian border, and NATO's secretary-general said he was prepared to send forces to defend Turkey's border.
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