Turkey to make its choice on NATO missile system on its own

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu responded to questions at a program broadcast in Haber Turk TV. Regarding the missile defense system to be fulfilled by NATO, Davutoglu said Turkey did not want history to become abnormal again.

Davutoglu underlined that Turkey was included in measures which NATO would take as a security organization. He said Turkey was an active member of NATO which is included in decision making process and one of the steering countries.

Davutoglu said Turkey would not like to see any neighboring country within "definition of threat or target", adding that, "if a member country says, 'we perceive threat from the x country, it is the responsibility of all member countries to assume a stance against this threat. However, such a threat is not in question today."

Assessing the comments that there was opposition in Turkey against the system called as "missile shield" and that this was perceived as an imposition of the United States, Davutoglu said, "we should assess the issues in conjunctural sense. We will consider general tendency in Turkey and make decision accordingly."

Davutoglu said discussions on NATO shifted to another axis when compared with the past, "those are dynamic discussions. Those discussions should be assessed in line with national interests," he said.

"Active contribution"

Asked if a crisis is to erupt in the Lisbon summit of NATO, Davutoglu said, "why has NATO felt the need for a new strategic concept? Because it needed to make a new assessment in a way to include all those discussions. Turkey's retired ambassador Umit Pamir is among those who wrote down the strategic concept. Thereby, this is a process which Turkey has active contribution."

"There is an expectation that a choice should be made between Iran and the United States. There is an expectation that the government will make a choice and would sour relations with the other party. Turkey makes its choice not over the relations it established with other countries, it makes the choice on its own vision," Davutoglu said.

"If you assume a right position, if your principles are strong, the elements seen as disadvantage for you turn into advantage in time," Davutoglu said, and underlined that no international actor could disregard Turkey any more.

Davutoglu said Turkey has been exerting efforts since 2005 for a diplomatic solution about nuclear talks, adding that, "we made this for our own national interests. We did not want to solve the nuclear problem to gain 'diplomatic prestige'. Turkey is one of the strongest economies of the region. We don't want walls, sanctions and restrictions around this economy."


/World Bulletin/