Turkey faces tough call on NATO missile shield

[unicorn]

NATO missiles in Turkey would defend Israel's 'crimes' - Iran

The possible deployment of NATO missile defense systems in Turkey is solely aimed at defending Israeli interests, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"There are dubious intentions behind the story which raised concerns in regional and Islamic countries. We are not a threat to regional countries, and the countries in our region, except the Zionist regime, are not a threat to us," Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.

"The measure aims at supporting the Zionist regime and protecting it against its crimes," Mehmanparast said, adding "we hope that regional nations would prevent such measures."

Iran has already expressed its concerns on the issue to Turkey, "our friend and neighboring country," the spokesman said.

Turkish media reported last week that Ankara would agree to deploy NATO missiles on its territory only on Turkey's own terms. It said the system should be built by NATO, rather than the United States, that the shield should protect all the alliance's member states, and that Ankara would not allow NATO to turn Turkey into the alliance's frontline state, as it was during the Cold War.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey would not agree to host a missile shield that targeted Iran, Turkey's trade and political ally.

"Mentioning one country, Iran... is wrong and will not happen. A particular country will not be targeted...We will definitely not accept that," Gul said in an interview with the BBC's Turkish service.

Turkey is expected to announce its final decision on the missile defense shield during the NATO summit in Lisbon on November 18-19.

 

[Saithan]

In extention of Unicorns post.
Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news

There won't be any naming of countries as threat, but the US and whoever else is still free to use verbal terms etc. But who cares as long as Turkey has the control of the missile shield and the papers signed doesn't mention Iran or Russia as enemies.

 

[Pasban]

NATO missiles in Turkey would defend Israel's 'crimes' - Iran

The possible deployment of NATO missile defense systems in Turkey is solely aimed at defending Israeli interests, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"There are dubious intentions behind the story which raised concerns in regional and Islamic countries. We are not a threat to regional countries, and the countries in our region, except the Zionist regime, are not a threat to us," Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.

"The measure aims at supporting the Zionist regime and protecting it against its crimes," Mehmanparast said, adding "we hope that regional nations would prevent such measures."

Iran has already expressed its concerns on the issue to Turkey, "our friend and neighboring country," the spokesman said.

Turkish media reported last week that Ankara would agree to deploy NATO missiles on its territory only on Turkey's own terms. It said the system should be built by NATO, rather than the United States, that the shield should protect all the alliance's member states, and that Ankara would not allow NATO to turn Turkey into the alliance's frontline state, as it was during the Cold War.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey would not agree to host a missile shield that targeted Iran, Turkey's trade and political ally.

"Mentioning one country, Iran... is wrong and will not happen. A particular country will not be targeted...We will definitely not accept that," Gul said in an interview with the BBC's Turkish service.

Turkey is expected to announce its final decision on the missile defense shield during the NATO summit in Lisbon on November 18-19.

Please provide a source link. Thanks.

 

[TrMhMt]

We Turks do not want these missiles !!! There is no opinion for Turkish gov. They must fallow us and they must do what Turkish people want? so this is depend us !!!

I do not believe akp gov. on this issue but i hope they will not do a mistake !!! Iran our neighbor and friend also russia !!!

 

[GUNNER]

NATO Missile Shield Must Not Be Aimed At Iran: Turkey

ANKARA, Nov 19, 2010 (AFP) - A planned Europe-wide ballistic missile shield for NATO must not be aimed at Iran and there appears to be agreement on this point, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Friday before leaving to attend the NATO summit in Lisbon.

"We are categorically opposed to have a country named (as a threat) and our request appears to have been accepted," he told reporters before leaving Ankara.

"Turkey cannot join a project that is aimed at a specific country," Gul said, stressing that NATO was a defensive alliance aimed at defending its members against any ballistic threat and is not an organization designed "to intimidate and threaten."

"The project must cover all (NATO) members without exception... It will not be aimed at Iran, we said it," the Turkish president said, adding that Ankara hoped that its request will be endorsed by other NATO allies in Lisbon.

Leaders of the 28-member NATO alliance gathered in Lisbon Friday and Saturday were to endorse plans to launch a new Europe-wide ballistic missile shield.

Diplomats said there had been intense debate in the run-up to the summit about whether Iran should be targetted as a specific menace in the public document they adopt.

Turkey is mindful of its delicate position with neighbouring Iran, however, and has said it will refuse to sign up to a NATO document that names Iran as the threat in the final declaration.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters on Monday that there was "no reason to name specific countries."

"The fact is that more than 30 countries have, or are aspiring to get missile technologies with a range sufficient to hit targets in the Euro-Atlantic area," he said.

NATO wants to link existing or future national missile defence systems to create an umbrella that would protect all of Europe's population and territory, at a cost of less than 200 million euros, officials say.

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

^^ This will really make NATO shuffle and reconsider. The whole policy of NATO members is to comply by the final word that has a consensus with majority members. Nothing against Iran or Turkey, but Iran is an independent nation to pursue its own aspirations the way it sees; Turkey is bound by NATO.

If this continues, there might be a strategic re-alignment seen soon.

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

We Turks do not want these missiles !!! There is no opinion for Turkish gov. They must fallow us and they must do what Turkish people want? so this is depend us !!!

I do not believe akp gov. on this issue but i hope they will not do a mistake !!! Iran our neighbor and friend also russia !!!

But this missile shield is defensive weapon isn't it? How will it harm Iran even if it is targeted against its missiles? ABMs cannot be used offensively. Now even Russia has cooled down on the missile shield issue.

On the other hand, such decisions will only strain NATO-Turkey ties.

 

[TrMhMt]

But this missile shield is defensive weapon isn't it? How will it harm Iran even if it is targeted against its missiles? ABMs cannot be used offensively. Now even Russia has cooled down on the missile shield issue.

On the other hand, such decisions will only strain NATO-Turkey ties.

We don't want coz this land is not playground for US !! If they want to protect themselves, they must use their own land !! If Turkiye needs protect itself, it must have its own missiles !!!

NATO is not important anymore coz its useless for us !!! We are/were beside of NATO when they need us but NATO is/was not beside us when we need it !! For example, we have terror problem and this threat comes from N.Irak which under US control... They don't let us send our armed forces to wipe all of terrorist out and also they don't do anything against this problem!! but we sent our soldiers to Afghanistan for NATO !!

I want to say that USA finished its all credits right now....

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

We don't want coz this land is not playground for US !! If they want to protect themselves, they must use their own land !! If Turkiye needs protect itself, it must have its own missiles !!!

NATO is not important anymore coz its useless for us !!! We are/were beside of NATO when they need us but NATO is/was not beside us when we need it !! For example, we have terror problem and this threat comes from N.Irak which under US control... They don't let us send our armed forces to wipe all of terrorist out and also they don't do anything against this problem!! but we sent our soldiers to Afghanistan for NATO !!

I want to say that USA finished its all credits right now....

But severing your ties from NATO or going against them would mean that you will lose your recent military agreements with them as well. That is not something your military is ready to accept. I know US can sometimes be a bit too pushy, but the question is; are you willing to disengage with them and put your entire arsenal of weapons to a freeze? Almost all your technology is heavily derived or developed or bought from NATO countries and with heavy US inputs. I heard some good domestic projects from your place, but that is also seeking consultancy from US and NATO.

Going against them at this stage will not be a nice idea. They might not be all angelic and I agree with you on that, but your government is a part of NATO and hence has to comply with its rules.

 

[wali87]

Decisive moment for Turkey.. The decision will surely reflect whether Turkey want to stay under the influence if the west or Maintain ties with its nieghbors which is vital for the future.. But considering the fact the EU has still not admitted Turkey.. Its highly unlikely Turkey will side with the west..

Also a year or so back when Israel was plannin got carry out surgical strikes in Iran.. Turkey categorically denied Israel the transit..

 

[TrMhMt]

But severing your ties from NATO or going against them would mean that you will lose your recent military agreements with them as well. That is not something your military is ready to accept. I know US can sometimes be a bit too pushy, but the question is; are you willing to disengage with them and put your entire arsenal of weapons to a freeze? Almost all your technology is heavily derived or developed or bought from NATO countries and with heavy US inputs. I heard some good domestic projects from your place, but that is also seeking consultancy from US and NATO.

Going against them at this stage will not be a nice idea. They might not be all angelic and I agree with you on that, but your government is a part of NATO and hence has to comply with its rules.

No not really we wont cut our ties or stay against NATO or USA.. We want an acceptable offer !! We always say that "we wont anything which makes our neighbor unhappy" ... If USA really wants these missiles for protecting NATO members including Turkiye, they must give us the control of the missiles !! You know that if you control the missiles you will control my airspace. Who can accept this offer?

 

[Saithan]

I hope you all know that there won't be any missile shield in turkey if it's against turkish wishes. It doesn't mean that we'll sever our ties with NATO.

Like mentioned, the turkish military should have control of the missile shield.

 

[Jigs]

We don't want coz this land is not playground for US !! If they want to protect themselves, they must use their own land !! If Turkiye needs protect itself, it must have its own missiles !!!

NATO is not important anymore coz its useless for us !!! We are/were beside of NATO when they need us but NATO is/was not beside us when we need it !! For example, we have terror problem and this threat comes from N.Irak which under US control... They don't let us send our armed forces to wipe all of terrorist out and also they don't do anything against this problem!! but we sent our soldiers to Afghanistan for NATO !!

I want to say that USA finished its all credits right now....

Which we don't. In fact we have no high altitude sams at all.

 

[TrMhMt]

Which we don't. In fact we have no high altitude sams at all.

Yes we don't. we must have our own !! not someones missiles ...

And today i read news. Turkiye had agreed US's offers !!! I knew that. This akp puppet must agree what zionists, US and EU want ? coz they are owner of akp. They made it and now they use it !!! Damn it d*g Erdogan !!!!

 

[cabatli_53]

If you ask me, I do not care What Iran or some others would think, When the subject became my land and benefits for homeland security. The reason of my worries are about future security of my country When USA THAAD or PAC-3 missiles are deployed to Turkish land (I hope Some management rights would be delivered to Turkey by NATO) but There is a reality in 21. century that If a side is deployed some mass destruction wepons in own arsenal, It has to be taken cautions. There is not a politic term between countries like Iran is a friend country and They never launch some to Turkey As long as We kept our silence against Iran (Such a word is a clear indication of inability but We, Turks do not) because We do not have such a nature like being pasive in region. In additions, If there is a threat, There would be a reaction between countries so It has nothing to do with testing of Turkish Islamic comprehension or test of Turkish fidelity...

About Region, I put Azerbaijan and Pakistan out of this comment, There is not a thing like so Close/Friends/Brother between countries but mutual interests and so Iran is NOT a brother state of Turkey and would NEVER be in future as well, Even If Trade volumes is increased to extreme levels, Some cooperation programs performed successfuly. Current Regional conjuncture, power ballances and sanctions are desperately compelling Iran to approach Turkey more than before under the name of brotherhood words. As You know very well that Turkey and Iran were never be a brother in history and never would be in future because Our ambitious plans are colliding with eachother in region...