Turkey not backing down in NATO defence plans dispute - source

[webfact]

Turkey not backing down in NATO defence plans dispute - source

By Tuvan Gumrukcu

 

FILE PHOTO: A Turkish flag flies next to NATO logo at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 26, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

ANKARA (Reuters) - Ankara will resist efforts by its NATO allies to persuade it to back an alliance defence plan for the Baltics and Poland until its demands are met over a plan for Turkey's defence, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Wednesday.

 

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Turkey was refusing to back the plan for the Baltics and Poland unless it got more political support for its fight against Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria.

 

Turkey wants NATO to formally recognise the YPG militia, the main component of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as terrorists and is infuriated that its allies have given the militia support.

 

The Turkish source said NATO had agreed this year to back the alliance plan for defence of Turkey, including in the event of an attack from the south, where it borders Syria.

 

The plan included recognising the YPG as a terrorist threat to Turkey, but Washington later withdrew its support and other countries then opposed it too, the source added.

 

"So, we are saying that if ours (defence plan) isn't published, we won't allow the other (plan for the Baltics and Poland to be published) either," the source said. "Those who want us to publish the plan for the Baltics must then show the same awareness for ours as well."

 

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter on Wednesday that the European Union and NATO must cooperate with Turkey regarding the country's national security concerns.

 

"Turkey is a strong member of NATO with the second largest army in it and wants to join the EU as a full member," he said.

 

"But the allies must take threats against Turkey's national security seriously and work in partnership to overcome them."

 

A week before a NATO summit in London, alliance envoys are seeking formal approval by all 29 members for the military plan to defend Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the event of a Russian attack.

 

Asked about the issue, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declined to give details of the internal discussions but said: "We have plans in place to defend and protect all allies and our commitment to collective defence is ironclad."

 

"Not only do we have plans, but we have more ready forces, a modernised command structures and more capabilities that we have had for decades," Stoltenberg said.

 

The start of a Turkish offensive in northeast Syria last month was condemned by its NATO allies, who fear it could hinder the battle against Islamic State. Turkey has rejected the concerns, saying it will continue to battle all terrorists in the region, which it says includes the U.S.-backed YPG.

 

The Turkish source said Stoltenberg was trying to find common ground between the member states on the defence plan for Turkey and that Ankara as "open to offers."

 

(Additional reporting by Robin Emmott in Brussels; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-28

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[Puchaiyank]

Turkey has become a bit of a rogue nation in terms of its relationship with NATO and the US...

 

It is wanting the world to approve destroying all things Kurdish so they can occupy the oil fields of N. Syria...it all about the oil...

 

[WalkingOrders]

I no longer see the point of NATO

[kotsak]

10 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Turkey has become a bit of a rogue nation in terms of its relationship with NATO and the US...

 

It is wanting the world to approve destroying all things Kurdish so they can occupy the oil fields of N. Syria...it all about the oil...

 

Plus the huge untapped oil fields south of Greece and Cyprus..

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Turkey has become a bit of a rogue nation in terms of its relationship with NATO and the US...

 

It is wanting the world to approve destroying all things Kurdish so they can occupy the oil fields of N. Syria...it all about the oil...

 

 

and also about strengthening their ties with Russia. The last thing Russia wants is a strong NATO with a robust defense plan for Poland and the Baltic States.

[Benmart]

6 hours ago, WalkingOrders said:

I no longer see the point of NATO

Your blindness to the pointed threat by Russia is reply enough.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

the U.S.-backed YPG

Does that still exist?

[John1012]

Turkey is turning into a rogue Islamic state run by an ugly little megalomaniac.

 

[whimsicalmike]

10 hours ago, WalkingOrders said:

I no longer see the point of NATO

No

Action

Talk

Only

[sunnyboy2018]

20 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Turkey has become a bit of a rogue nation in terms of its relationship with NATO and the US...

 

It is wanting the world to approve destroying all things Kurdish so they can occupy the oil fields of N. Syria...it all about the oil...

 

Not just oil but authority over sovereign territory. Long before oil was discovered The Turks, Ottoman Muslims, have perpetrated savagery through out the world  Europe,  Asia  and notably a campaign of genocide against the Armenians and the Kurds.

[Tug]

They feel emboldened by the imbecile in the White House he knows if it gets a little hot all he has to do is call trump grovel a little bit tell donald how great he is and all will be forgiven pluse it works for putin