NATO Chief Pledges to Defend Turkey Against Syria
NATO Chief Pledges to Defend Turkey Against Syria - Israel News
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday it is ready to defend alliance member Turkey amid artillery exchanges along its tense southeastern border with Syria.
Rasmussen said Tuesday that Ankara can rely on the alliance, which has “all necessary plans in place to protect and defend Turkey if necessary.”
But he appealed to all parties involved to show restraint and avoid an escalation in the crisis.
“We hope that all parties involved will show restraint and avoid an escalation of the crisis,” he added. “I do believe that the right way forward in Syria is a political solution.”
Rasmussen commended Ankara for the “restraint it has shown” so far following “the completely unacceptable Syrian attacks on Turkey.”