Turkey Calls on NATO to Support its Security Concerns
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2019 9:12 am
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, and Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government, speak to journalists after their talks, in Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 28, 2019.
ANKARA, TURKEY - Turkey's foreign minister has called on NATO to support Ankara's security concerns, accusing allies of backing Baltic countries' security concerns but dismissing threats to Turkey from Syrian Kurdish fighters.
Mevlut Cavusoglu made the comments Thursday. He confirmed media reports that said Turkey was blocking a NATO defense proposal for the Baltic nations and Poland until the alliance supports Turkey's concerns relating to the Kurdish fighters, which Ankara considers to be terrorists.
Cavusoglu said: "We are not against NATO's retaliation plans for the Baltic nations but (NATO) should also want for Turkey what it wants for the Baltics."
He said the NATO chief was working to overcome the dispute.
A plan to defend the Baltic nations in case of a Russian attack needs the backing of all member states.