Turkey had become core country of NATO alliance

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has said Turkey would continue supporting NATO strongly in tackling future challenges.

“As the case in the past, Turkey’s strong support for NATO continues today and it will continue in the future,” Gul was quoted as telling NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during a meeting in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Gul said during the meeting at the Chankaya Presidential Residence that NATO had adapted to the changes of the post Cold War era, adding that the Alliance had successfully acted as a guarantee for the European-Atlantic stability and security.

Rasmussen, on his part, said that Turkey was an important ally in NATO both politically and in military terms, adding that the country had made major contributions in many NATO missions from Afghanistan to Kosovo.

Abdullah Gul has said that Turkey had become the core country of NATO alliance.

President Gul released a message to mark the 60th anniversary of Turkey’s NATO membership.

Turkey had assumed important and effective roles within NATO and achieved important successes, he said.

NATO, which was an alliance of countries sharing common values such as human rights and supremacy of law, always maintained its basic objective for a lasting peace in Europe, he said.

Turkey made great contributions to NATO as a result of principles of Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, during its 60-year membership, Gul said in his message.

Most of important developments, crises, opportunities and transformations have taken place in the geography surrounding Turkey and that’s why Turkey has become the core country in NATO, he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has praised NATO as “the most effective alliance of modern times” despite major changes in the international politics since the organization’s inception.

“Despite all the changes, the most crucial aspect about NATO is that it still holds as the most effective alliance of modern times and makes contribution to peace and stability in the world,” Davutoglu told a panel discussion in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on the 60th anniversary of Turkey’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.

Davutoglu said NATO had open a path for what he described as “Europe’s great democratic transformation” and it had intervened in many crises in Eastern Europe and contributed to a major structural change in maintaining permanent stability.

“And today NATO retains its impact and power as an alliance which is continuously expected to intervene in non-European crises,” Davutoglu said.

Also speaking at the panel discussion, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said throughout its 60-year-old history in NATO, Turkey had won the Alliance’s regard for its contribution to the North Atlantic organization.

“Turkey plays an important part in decision making process in NATO and a crucial role in shaping the future of the Alliance. When Turkey expresses an opinion in NATO, its voice gets to be heard in capitals of all ally countries,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said also that NATO welcomed Turkey’s efforts to end violence in Syria.

Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey would never let a NATO facility be used by a third party.

And, if this third party happens to be Israel, our attitude gets more clear and visible, Davutoglu underlined.

Minister Davutoglu and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen held a joint press conference following their meeting at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Ankara on Friday.

Asked about his thoughts on the attacks staged against several European offices of Zaman daily newspaper, Davutoglu said that “our response would have been same had other newspapers or correspondents come under attack”.

We strongly condemn the terror acts staged against the offices of Zaman daily. These attacks have been not only against a respectable newspaper of Turkey but against the freedom of expression and freedom of press in Europe, Davutoglu underlined.

We expect all (European) countries to take active and protective measures, Davutoglu noted.

via News.Az – Turkey had become core country of NATO alliance.