TURKEY FEARS SPOILING RELATIONS WITH IRAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.12.2009 18:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey is against the proposal on locating elements
of American PRO system on its territory for fear of jeopardizing
relations with Russia and Iran. U.S. President Barrack Obama has
proposed Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan to locate "anti-missile
shield" on Turkish territory. The proposal was made last week during
negotiations in Washington. Turkish media report that Ankara has
disapproved the initiative.

"According to preliminary assessments, military and pro-government
circles are inclined to believe that such PRO will make Turkey a
direct shooting mark for Iranian short- and medium- ranged rockets.

Besides, there are concerns that the project will create tensions in
relationship with Russia, leading to ‘cold war’ atmosphere despite
Turkey’s ‘friendship with neighbors’ policy."

Turkish and Western media have several times released information
on United States plans to locate elements of PRO system in Turkey,
but Turkish officials did not confirm such information, RIA Novosti
reports.