WE SEE NO THREAT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS, TURKISH FM
news.az
Dec 23 2009
Azerbaijan
Ahmet Davutoglu Davutoglu has rejected fears that Iran, which tested
an upgraded version of its most advanced missile last week, poses
any threat to Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has rejected fears that Iran,
which tested an upgraded version of its most advanced missile last
week, posed any threat to Turkey, saying that Ankara enjoys trust
and good relations with all its neighbors.
"We see no threat from our neighbors… But we have the capacity
to defeat any threat should it arise," Davutoglu, told reporters
late on Monday as he flew back from Brussels, where he attended a
governmental conference during which accession talks between Turkey
and the European Union on the environment chapter were launched.
He was responding to a recent report in the Turkish media that US
officials have asked Turkey to agree to the installation of NATO radar
devices in its territory as part of a missile defense system. The US
recently scrapped plans for Poland and the Czech Republic to host
missile shield elements to counter possible strikes from Iran. Due
to a re-assessment of the threat from Iran, Washington has announced
a new scheme for a more flexible system.
Iran, which tested the latest version of its longest-range missile, the
Sajjil-2, last Wednesday, has caused concern in the West. The missile,
which has a range of about 2,000 kilometers, can reach Israel, as
well as US bases in the Gulf region and parts of southeastern Europe,
including Turkey.
Davutoglu appeared reluctant to make any firm statement on the
reported US request to install radar in Turkey, saying NATO should
first define the threat. "This is not an issue for NATO now. First,
a definition of the threat against NATO members must be made. Then
we can consider the issue in this light," he said.
The foreign minister also said both sides should stop escalating
tension with heated rhetoric. "One side says all options [including
a military attack] are on the table [against Iran] while the other
side [Iran] tests missiles in order to show it will not be deterred
by military threats. The Middle East should not be a scene for this
kind of tension."
Turkey has taken steps in the past years to improve its ties with
neighboring Iran, stuck in an escalating standoff with the West over
its nuclear program. Ankara says it is opposed to Iran acquiring
nuclear weapons but also dismisses Western calls for sanctions or
military measures against the Islamic regime. Responding to criticism
that Turkey is sliding from the West to an Iranian axis, Davutoglu
said Turkey has never been part of any axis.
"There is a conviction as if some within the Western alliance are
making decisions and Turkey has to obey this. We are a part of that
organization. We have the right and authority to determine where the
axis will emerge as much as any other country has. We are within the
Western alliance," Davutoglu went on saying, displaying Turkey’s
approach toward Afghanistan and its contributions to the war-torn
country as a significant example showing how Turkey tried to toe the
right axis within NATO in regards to the Afghanistan issue.
Turkey joined the 15-nation UN Security Council as a non-permanent
member in January and will hold the seat through the end of 2010.
Davutoglu signaled resistance to any US and European push for
tougher UN sanctions on Iran, saying: "As a neighboring country,
we want a region free of military threats and sanctions. However,
Iran should also fulfill its part for that. The region doesn’t have
to live anymore with these sanctions and tensions. To what extent
the sanctions have been useful in the past should also be reviewed."
Iran and the West are deadlocked over a UN proposal for Iran to send
much of its uranium abroad for enrichment in a friendly third country
like Turkey, pending the arrival of the fuel. The plan is aimed at
reducing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile in hopes of thwarting the
country’s ability to make a nuclear weapon.
Dismissing the fact that Iran has so far not accepted the offer,
Davutoglu argued that the proposal was still on the table and indicated
that Ankara would push to have regular contact with senior Iranian
officials in order to find a way to reach a resolution of the dispute
through diplomatic means.
"In the past, we have always been the losing party when there has
been tension. We were negatively influenced when sanctions were
imposed on Iraq at the time. Our efforts are aimed at preventing such
negativity; they are not a reflection of our ambition for mediation,
as some have perceived."
Dismissing reports that he plans to pay a visit to Israel, Davutoglu
reiterated his harsh criticism of Israeli inaction on the ongoing
humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.
Recalling a recent call by former US President Jimmy Carter for world
powers to coerce Israel to end its blockade of Gaza, Davutoglu asked,
"Should we now call Carter anti-Semitic for what he said?"
Israel’s Gaza offensive last winter "killed the peace perspective,"
he said, adding, "If the peace perspective is rebuilt, then we will
not avoid having contact."
When reminded of Armenian officials’ recent statements threatening
to annul the protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan in October for
the normalization of relations if Ankara fails to ratify them before
April, Davutoglu said the issue should be dealt with via a "visionary"
approach instead of by enacting arbitrary deadlines.
Ruling out criticism of Ankara for linking the issues of normalization
of relations between Ankara and Yerevan to the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Baku and Yerevan, Davutoglu said:
"Normalization at the bilateral level is linked with an improvement
in the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Turkish-Armenian border has
been closed for years but we are still trying to resolve this issue.
If the same kind of good intention can be shown on the other issue,
then it may reach a further level as well."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress