Turkey removed its brigade of special forces from the make-up of International Forces of the European Union. The contingent was strengthened by aviation and worships. Such a decision was made for the first time in the history of the Union and it has already caused shock in Brussels.

It is Ankara's response to the refusal of EUFOR Command to recognize the right of the Turkish side to head the peacekeeping elements of the European Union despite Turks' support for EU's operations in various places, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Congo.

For the first time in the history of EU an entire brigade of a country, strengthened by aviation and worships, is being removed. "By this gesture Ankara makes it clear that Turkey will not any more provide its specially formed brigade to conduct operations under the EU leadership," Sabah newspaper reports.