Stoltenberg: NATO Readies New Support for Turkey

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NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance was working on new support measures for Turkey, but insisted the commitment predated Ankara's shooting down of a Russian jet on the Syrian border.

Speaking as foreign ministers from the 28 NATO nations gathered in Brussels, Stoltenberg also reiterated his call for Turkey and Russia to calm the crisis and to find ways to ensure there is no repeat.

"We will work on further measures to assure Turkey's security," Stoltenberg said at the start of the two-day meeting dominated by Syria, Ukraine and relations with a "more assertive" Russia, as well as future plans in Afghanistan.

"I would like to underline... that this is something not related to the incident last week. It has been going on for several years as part of our commitment to an ally," he told journalists at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The NATO chief did not specify what the new measures would involve but said that the alliance has for many years helped Turkey with its air defenses.

Russia said this week that it had deployed its advanced S-400 air defense system at its base in Latakia, Syria, following the shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by Turkish aircraft in November.

In 2012 as the bloody conflict in Syria deepened, NATO allies deployed Patriot anti-missile batteries along Turkey's southern border to prevent any spillover of the fighting.

They have been progressively withdrawn but one battery remains, supplied by Spain although that was due to be pulled out at the end of the year.

Stoltenberg also cited as examples naval deployments by Germany and Denmark in the Mediterranean, or the presence of U.S. aircraft on Turkish soil.

"All of this is relevant for Turkey's reassurance," he said.

The NATO chief also reiterated his call for Turkey and Russia to calm the crisis and to find ways to ensure there is no repeat.

"The focus now should be on how we can de-escalate and calm tensions (and find) mechanisms so that we can avoid the type of incident we saw last week," he said.

The two-day NATO meeting will review measures adopted in the fallout from the Ukraine crisis to upgrade readiness levels and reassure nervous eastern Europe members who were once ruled from Moscow that the alliance will stand by them.

Stoltenberg says the changes, which include creation of a new fast response force, apply globally in what he described as a "dark" security environment.

Comments 6
Thumb EagleDawn 01 December 2015, 14:42

mowaten, yesterday:

"_mowaten_
furthermore, he didnt manage to provoke an overraction of putin which would have forced NATO to get involved, instead he got rebuked by his own suposed allies."

Today NATO tells mowaten of iran:

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance was working on new support measures for Turkey

Thumb ado.australia 01 December 2015, 15:17

yes eagle dawn... That is so true. That is why even the USA has stopped bombing raids in Syria after the installation of the Russian S400 missile defence system! Turkey has gotten what they have been asking for over the past 3 years... a no fly zone! unfortunately the no fly zone is being enforced by Russia thanks to the turkish attack on an unarmed 1970 bomber! Now that Russia is flying Su-34 fighters armed only with air to air missiles.... they all not dare fly! Who was it that ridiculed me for stating that Russia is now flying air superiority war planes to defend their bombers? Please lets us all know the next time Turkey dares flies into Syria? Coz it won't be anytime soon thanks to Sultan Erdegon! The Kurds are now rejoicing their protectio! The hero who won't apologise but begs for a meeting with President Putin! What a strong man this man is!

Thumb ado.australia 01 December 2015, 15:53

as much as you and the circle of anti Assad zombies want to believe, is that the majority of the free world media is unable to deny the truth that is so hurting the standard US position! Turkey is becoming a dictatorial country! They are closing or taking over any anti government media and popular anti Government protests or people are being killed or bombed! Modern day internet means the truth is undeniable! They are winning in local standard media campaigns through their takeovers and assassinations but as Putin already realised... you cant shut up the whole worlds media in this new age! The truth and lies always comes out!

Thumb chrisrushlau 01 December 2015, 16:43

When Stoltenberg refers to a "dark" security situation, in no way was he referring to the color of people's skin.
Right?
Remind us again what NATO is for.
If N stands for North and A for Atlantic, then this came about because the USSR wanted to invade western Europe just because western Europe kept trying to invade Russia? But with no more USSR we don't need to defend western Europe, except in Afghanistan, where they have slingshots that can hurl a hundred gram rock with extreme accuracy to a range of twelve hundred million Angstroms. Approximately six feet.
Stoltenberg clarified his remarks later: "Israel's Jewish fantasy state is the lynchpin of European security, for reasons I can't explan except to say that I'm white and damn proud of it."

Thumb chrisrushlau 01 December 2015, 16:53

Actually 1200 million Angstroms would be 4.72441 inches. The rock is essentially a close-assault weapons system, according to NATO's Chief of Theoretical Research and concurrently serving Lebanese Minister of Defense, His Excellency Samir Mouqbel. "This only makes it more of a threat to global stability and European civilization, on account of even a little child can deploy one."

Thumb ado.australia 01 December 2015, 17:04

If you had been a reader on this site for more than a few months, you would know that chrisrushlau is anything but a Christian wannabe... we have often argued against his opinion that christians in Lebanon are a minority and no longer deserve the right of Lebanese parliamentary division of 50/50 christian/muslim. chrisrushlau argues against christian lebanese rights like the Presidency and army! So as a perfect example, chrisrushlau is someone I can argue with in all respect... even though we disagree on many fundamental Lebanese questions!