Turkey expresses solidarity with Pakistan after NATO strike

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar to express solidarity with the people and Government of Pakistan over NATO/ISAF attacks, which killed 24 soldiers, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

Pakistan says that NATO fighter aircraft and military helicopters shelled two posts in Mohmand Agency, near the Afghan border Saturday night, Press TV reported.

Pakistan closed supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan via land route and has also asked the US to vacate a key air base in southwest of the country, which the US had been using for years.

'While thanking FM Davutoglu for this expression of solidarity, Foreign Minister Khar condemned in the strongest terms possible the unprovoked and totally unacceptable attacks by NATO/ISAF which demonstrated complete disregard for international law and human life,' a Foreign Ministry statement said.

FM Davutoglu assured Foreign Minister Khar that Turkey as member of NATO would ask for an impartial inquiry into the attacks, the Foreign Ministry said.

He added that loss of Pakistani soldiers was as painful as losing Turkish soldiers, it said.

Pakistan has also announced to review its overall cooperation with NATO, ISAF and the US after the attack, which has also sparked a widespread condemnation across Pakistan.

Authorities have stopped hundreds of oil tankers and containers, carrying NATO supplies, from proceeding to Afghanistan after the top political and military leadership decided to suspend the NATO supplies to its troops.


/Trend/