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No place for nukes in Iranian-Turkish relations
There is no place for nuclear weapons in Turkish-Iranian relations, Turkeys ambassador to Washington said during a speech Thursday.
Addressing a crowd of students at George Washington University, Ambassador Namık Tan stated Turkey opposes any plans by its eastern neighbor to acquire nuclear weapons. We want a good, neighborly relationship with Iran. That is all we want, he said. There is no place for nuclear weapons. Turkey cannot tolerate Iran with nuclear weapons.
Tans words come amid growing international pressure for Turkey to impose sanctions on Tehran for its nuclear program. Last month, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials expressed their increasing concern about Irans nuclear program, renewing calls from the West for a new round of sanctions against a defiant Iran.
This week, American Vice President Joe Biden called on Turkey to join the growing effort to condemn Irans nuclear program, telling the Turkish press on Wednesday that we encourage our partners, including Turkey, to take steps to impose new sanctions on Iran.
Ambassador Tan stopped short of announcing Turkish plans to apply sanctions on Iran during his speech, insisting that diplomatic measures are the only viable road for a permanent solution in the developing crisis.
Tan nonetheless stated that Turkey has helped intercept the shipment of certain goods from some other countries, but refused to identify specifics. Tan added that Turkey will cooperate with any decision by the UN to impose sanctions.
Turkey has taken a hostile yet cautious stance regarding Irans nuclear ambitions, agreeing in 2010 to host a NATO early warning radar system ostensibly designed to help shield Europe from the threat of Iranian missiles, although during negotiations, Turkey demanded that any specific mention of Iran be removed from the text of the agreement.
Tan said on Thursday that Turkey wants a weapons-of-mass-destruction-free zone, adding that Ankara will do whatever possible to prevent regional politics from being dictated by Iranian nukes.
The ambassador also spoke about other regional issues, including events in Syria. Turkey will stand by Syrian people during this difficult period. We believe that we share a common future with Syrian people, he said, emphasizing the need for close cooperation between the Arab League and Turkey on the Syrian issue.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-265284-no-place-for-nukes-in-iranian-turkish-relations.html
There is no place for nuclear weapons in Turkish-Iranian relations, Turkeys ambassador to Washington said during a speech Thursday.
Addressing a crowd of students at George Washington University, Ambassador Namık Tan stated Turkey opposes any plans by its eastern neighbor to acquire nuclear weapons. We want a good, neighborly relationship with Iran. That is all we want, he said. There is no place for nuclear weapons. Turkey cannot tolerate Iran with nuclear weapons.
Tans words come amid growing international pressure for Turkey to impose sanctions on Tehran for its nuclear program. Last month, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials expressed their increasing concern about Irans nuclear program, renewing calls from the West for a new round of sanctions against a defiant Iran.
This week, American Vice President Joe Biden called on Turkey to join the growing effort to condemn Irans nuclear program, telling the Turkish press on Wednesday that we encourage our partners, including Turkey, to take steps to impose new sanctions on Iran.
Ambassador Tan stopped short of announcing Turkish plans to apply sanctions on Iran during his speech, insisting that diplomatic measures are the only viable road for a permanent solution in the developing crisis.
Tan nonetheless stated that Turkey has helped intercept the shipment of certain goods from some other countries, but refused to identify specifics. Tan added that Turkey will cooperate with any decision by the UN to impose sanctions.
Turkey has taken a hostile yet cautious stance regarding Irans nuclear ambitions, agreeing in 2010 to host a NATO early warning radar system ostensibly designed to help shield Europe from the threat of Iranian missiles, although during negotiations, Turkey demanded that any specific mention of Iran be removed from the text of the agreement.
Tan said on Thursday that Turkey wants a weapons-of-mass-destruction-free zone, adding that Ankara will do whatever possible to prevent regional politics from being dictated by Iranian nukes.
The ambassador also spoke about other regional issues, including events in Syria. Turkey will stand by Syrian people during this difficult period. We believe that we share a common future with Syrian people, he said, emphasizing the need for close cooperation between the Arab League and Turkey on the Syrian issue.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-265284-no-place-for-nukes-in-iranian-turkish-relations.html
