BELGIUM: NATO member states call the shooting down of a Turkish military jet "unacceptable" and demand that Damascus take steps to prevent further incidents

Record ID: 281130

  • Title: BELGIUM: NATO member states call the shooting down of a Turkish military jet "unacceptable" and demand that Damascus take steps to prevent further incidents
  • Date: 27th June 2012
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JUNE 26, 2012) (REUTERS) SIGN ON TOP OF SECURITY DOORS
  • Embargoed: 12th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Conflict,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA2PJ8K9VCAERBW8WQFO92MLONG
  • Story Text: NATO member states condemned Syria on Tuesday (June 26) for its shooting down of a Turkish military jet, calling it "unacceptable" and demanding that Damascus take steps to prevent further incidents.
    Ambassadors of NATO's 28 member states met in Brussels to consult with Turkey on the incident. Turkey, a NATO member, had called for the meeting.
    "We consider this act to be unacceptable and condemn it in the strongest term. It is another example of the Syrian authorities' disregard for international norms, peace and security and human life," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after the gathering.
    "The security of the alliance is indivisible. We stand together with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity," he added.
    Rasmussen also said NATO's Article 5, which calls for member states to see an attack on one country as an attack on all the alliance's members, had not been discussed.
    NATO demanded that Syria ''take all steps'' to prevent the situation from escalating.
    "It is my clear expectations that the situation won't continue to escalate. What we have seen is a completely unacceptable act and I would expect Syria to take all necessary steps to avoid such event in the future," Rasmussen said.
    Ankara has branded the incident an "act of aggression". Damascus said it shot the aircraft down in self-defence after it strayed into Syrian airspace.
    The meeting is only the second time in NATO's 63-year history that member countries have convened under Article 4 of its charter, which provides for consultations when a member state feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat.
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