BELGIUM–(ENEWSPF)–4 December 2012. NATO Allies stand in full solidarity with Turkey and will show their determination to defend their Ally and deter any threats, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said ahead of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday.
The situation along NATO’s south-eastern border is of grave concern. Turkey has asked NATO to augment its air defence capabilities by deploying Patriot missiles.
“Turkey has asked for Alliance support and we stand in full solidarity with Turkey. I would expect NATO Allies to make a decision later today,” the Secretary General said.
“I am confident we will demonstrate our determination to deter against any threats and defend our Ally. Because this is what our Alliance is all about.”
Allies have already made clear that any deployment would be defensive only and would in no way support a no-fly zone or any offensive operation.
Allied foreign ministers will also discuss ways to ensure that NATO’s partnerships with countries around the world can become even more effective.
In a separate meeting, the foreign ministers of NATO countries and Russia will meet in the NATO-Russia Council to discuss the current state of cooperation and plans to strengthen the relationship further.
“This year we have made good progress on practical cooperation, in areas such as Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics. We are going in the right direction. But we need to put new energy into our relationship, and look at how we can boost cooperation over the next years,” the Secretary General said.
Discussions on the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission are planned for Wednesday.
Source: nato.int