NATO considers deploying missiles in Turkey, President Gul saysNovember 8, 2012 - 19:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Abdullah Gul confirmed on Thursday, November 8 that Ankara was in talks with NATO about deploying a defence system on its soil to counter a potential missile threat from Syria, Reuters said. NATO-member Turkey has already bolstered its own military presence along the 910-km (560-mile) border and has been responding in kind to mortar shells hitting its territory as a result of fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels. A senior Turkish foreign ministry official told Reuters on Wednesday Ankara would be imminently lodging an official request with NATO to station Patriot missiles along the shared border to guard against more violence spilling over. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Gul said Turkey had no intention of going to war with Syria but that it wanted to take steps against any possible threat from its southern neighbor. "When these type of potential dangers are out there, all the necessary precautions are taken. One of these precautions is to take measures to counter ballistic missiles, medium and short-range missiles," Gul told reporters. "Therefore, for defensive purposes ... these types of contingency plans, have for a long time been considered within NATO," he said. The alliance has deployed Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Turkey twice before, once in 1991 and later in 2003, during both Gulf Wars. The missiles were provided by the Netherlands. NATO says it has not yet received a request from Turkey but that it would consider any demand at the North Atlantic Council, the alliance's most senior political governing body. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute urges Armenia to respect people’s right to dissent The Lemkin Institute has urged the Armenian government to respect people’s fundamental human right to express their dissent. Iran’s Red Crescent sends aid to Armenia’s flood-hit regions The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent humanitarian aid to the victims of deadly floods that hit northern Armenia on May 25-26. Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. |