At the NATO Summit, Turkey is expected to highlight the growing global terrorist threat and urge member countries to strengthen collective efforts to combat terrorismsaid the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The expectations
“Our expectations from the summit are to achieve results that will strengthen the solidarity and spirit of unity of the alliance, taking into account the national security sensitivities of the allies,” Erdogan told reporters at Ankara’s Esenboğa airport ahead of his departure for the United States on July 9.
“Barrage” of meetings
Erdogan should hold several bilateral meetings in the US capital during the three-day NATO 75th anniversary summit.
“In our meetings, we will highlight the growing terrorist threat, especially in our immediate neighborhood. We will also stress the need for NATO to step up its efforts to conduct a decisive and comprehensive fight against terrorist organizations,” the president said.
Responding to a question about the adequacy of support Turkey receives from its alliance partners in its counter-terrorism efforts, Erdogan said that this support has not yet reached the desired levelstressing that the parties are trying to overcome these challenges.
Referring to Turkey’s role within the alliance, Erdogan noted that your country is among the top five contributors to NATO missions and operations.
“We are one of the five main NATO countries. I say this from the point of view of economic support and from the point of view of strengthening NATO’s power. This is Turkey’s position within NATO. This has now become the approach of all NATO member countries,” he said.
“The Turkish leader also stressed that Ankara applauds Ukraine’s integrity, but the alliance should not be a part of it Russia-Ukraine conflict”.
Four by four with Ruth
On a related issue, Erdogan said that Turkey played a key role in the election of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the new Secretary General of NATO.
Erdogan said he would also hold bilateral meetings with Rutte during the summit, adding that the new NATO chief He will visit Ankara before taking office in October.
“As we conduct our discussions, I believe we will move forward with Rutte as harmoniously as we did with (current NATO chief Jens) Stoltenberg.”
Referring to Israel’s attacks on Gaza Strip, Erdogan said he would also address the “ongoing massacres against the Palestinian people” in Gaza.
“In the face of this grave situation, we will emphasize that the international community has failed to stop Israel and that it is impossible for the world conscience to find peace without the establishment of a just and lasting peace in Palestine.”
Source hurriyetdailynews