Change in NATO Made Turkey more Important

October 25, 2003 admin-dominor

NATO command was restructured according to Post-September 11th conditions. Within this frame, it was decided to establish a South Regional Air Component Command, instead of NATO Southeastern European Joint Forces Command.

Yoney talked to ZAMAN about the latest changes at the headquarters in Izmir’s Sirinyer neighbourhood, which has had a successful past of 51 years.

Yoney said that the headquarters would continue its work for air operations. He stated that there would not be any significant change, except the blue uniforms of the Turkish and other NATO personnel. The general added that the number of personnel would remain approximately the same.

NATO has decided to decrease the number of headquarters from 20 between the years 1999 and 2000 to 11. Within this frame, it has been decided to abolish the Joint Command Southeast in Izmir. According to the new structure, Southeast Regional Air Component Command will be assigned to the Izmir headquarters.

The Southeast Regional Air Component Command is one of the most important NATO centres in terms of status, assignment and activity.

The new command will be activated in September 2004 at the latest. The command will be responsible for the defence of the South Region. Three Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOC), two of which are in Italy and one in Greece, will be connected to the Izmir headquarters.

Yoney stated that the change in NATO has been the best answer to claims that the organization has outlived its usefulness. He stressed that like all living organisms, the organization has undergone an evolution and added that NATO achieved a renewal of its structure, principles and strategy.

“I think NATO is the organization which has the strongest consulting culture. Decisions are made after consultations between the countries. There are three or four countries supporting NATO financially the most.

These countries’ right to speak is the same as the countries that seem to have smaller status. If the small country says ‘no’, then the decision cannot be taken. Important contributors have an influence, but decisions are made by consensus," Yoney concluded.