NATO to Weigh Turkey Missile Request as 'Matter of Urgency'
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday said the alliance would consider a request from Turkey to deploy Patriot anti-missile batteries along its border with Syria "as a matter of urgency.”
Rasmussen, arriving for a meeting of European Union defense ministers, said NATO had received no formal request from NATO-member Turkey to date but added that if one was made, "we will consider that as a matter of urgency.”
German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said earlier that he expected a request on Monday from Turkey, whose border villages have been hit by artillery fire as forces loyal to Damascus battle rebels seeking to oust President Bashar Assad.
"The situation on the Syria-Turkey border is of great concern," said Rasmussen.
"We have all the plans ready to defend and protect Turkey if needed. The plans will be adjusted if necessary to ensure effective protection of Turkey."
Rasmussen said there was no question currently of imposing a no-fly zone with the back-up of the Patriot missiles.
"The Patriot missiles would be a purely defensive measure to defend Turkey."
He also said it was "premature" to comment on German reports that Berlin planned to send 170 soldiers to Turkey to man the missiles.
But he added: "Turkey can count on allied solidarity.”
Ankara, a one-time Damascus ally, said last week that it was in talks with NATO about the Patriots but had not made any formal request.
Turkish forces have systematically retaliated to every cross-border shelling since Syrian fire killed five Turkish civilians on October 3.
Source: Agence France Presse
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