Turkey: Nato Radar System not against Russia

Turkey has said NATO’s pending deployment of an early warning radar system is only for defense and only against arms, referring to the possibility of missiles from non-state actors as well. President Abdullah Gül told reporters late on Thursday upon his return from Moscow that Russia is a strategic partner and that NATO’s to-be-deployed radar system is only for defense purposes. He said he discussed these issues with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, stressing Russia’s increasingly cooperative and close role with the world’s largest military alliance.

Turkey has recently agreed to host an early warning radar system as part of NATO’s missile defense system aimed at countering ballistic missile threats from neighboring Iran. The Turkish and US governments said last Friday that the radar system will help spot missile threats coming from outside Europe, including potentially from Iran. The system, provided by the United States, is to become operational later this year.

The Turkish president also said arms that pose a threat to NATO members could not only emanate from states, but from non-state organizations as well. “For this reason, this is totally for defense purposes. We are also closely discussing and consulting on this issue with the Russian side,” Gül added.

Muslim Turkey, with NATO’s second biggest military, has become a bigger player in the Middle East, emboldened by its booming economy and a more Islamic identity, seeking stronger ties with Muslim countries in the Middle East, like Iran. Turkey has also sought stronger ties with Russia, which has said a NATO missile defense system could threaten its security if it develops the capability to down Russian nuclear missiles. However, Russia’s NATO envoy said a radar system in Turkey would not threaten Russian security.

09 September 2011
SOURCE: TODAYSZAMAN.COM