Scheffer: Turkey to take larger role in NATO

April 30, 2004 admin-dominor

Scheffer, who made his second trip to Turkey since taking over his post at the beginning of the year, discussed the arrangements for the NATO Summit on June 28, 29, over dinner with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Wednesday evening.

Scheffer said issues like increased measures against the terrorism threat, situation in Afghanistan, Balkans and NATO’s transformation process will cover the agenda of the upcoming summit of the alliance which will mark the formal entry into the alliance of Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia where U.S. President George W. Bush and other leaders are to attend.

Emphasizing the need for transformation within the alliance to come over the challenges in the security environment of the 21st century, the NATO Chief said Turkey’s role and place in this transformation have become very important and it was gradually becoming more significant.

‘Turkey’s role in Afghanistan may increase in the future’
"Among the issues which will have priority during the summit will be Afghanistan" said Scheffer, noting that they were aware their security and the future of this country were related issues and that extending the mission of the international peacekeeping force, ISAF, beyond the capital Kabul will also be taken up during the summit.

The NATO Secretary-General said Turkey who has led the ISAF was much experienced in the region, reiterating the call that Turkey could do more in Afghanistan.

"Turkey is continuing to make important military contributions to this force in Afghanistan and these contributions of Turkey could increase in the future," he said.

Earlier this week the U.S. ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns, named Turkey, together with Germany, France and Spain as nations that could do more in Afghanistan.

But Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said Wednesday that Turkey had received no new request for additional troops, adding Turkey has led the ISAF for eight months and it has already 240 troops there, in a sign of reluctance to send more troops.

Gul: Summit is a timely opportunity
Speaking at the dinner, Gul said the June Summit provided an important and timely opportunity for the alliance to deal with new security problems and to create a new vision for the mission it will take in the future.

"We hope that the alliance will start an historic initiative in the June Summit in a bid to show that it is a dynamic element of universal peace and stability," noted Gul.

Gul also stated he believed that Istanbul, home to numerous cultures, civilizations and religions for centuries, wil be an appropriate place for such an approach.