President Gul: NATO missile plan is in line with our expectations


[propaganda alert]

22 November 2010



1) President Obama: We agreed to develop a missile defense capability for NATO territory to protect all of our allies in Europe (20 November 2010)

2) President Sarkozy: Let’s call a spade a spade: Today’s missile threat, it’s Iran (20 November 2010)

3) President Gul: NATO missile plan is in line with our expectations (20 November 2010)

4) Iran: Turkey has been notified about our concerns over the suspicious NATO missile plan (16 November 2010)

from the archives:

5) U.S.: Turkey plays an important role as an ally at the front line of ballistic missile threats (12 October 2010)

6) President Gul: You should not underestimate how seriously we take the issue of a nuclearized Iran (30 September 2010)

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“We have just concluded an extremely productive NATO summit […] [W]e have reaffirmed the central premise of NATO — our Article V commitment that an attack on one is an attack on all. […] Most important[ly], we agreed to develop a missile defense capability for NATO territory […] to protect all of our allies in Europe as well as the United States.”

[U.S. President Barack Obama, press conference after NATO Summit in Lisbon, 20 November 2010] [1]




“No name appears in the documents made public by NATO, but let’s call a spade a spade: Today’s missile threat, it’s Iran. So, if one day Iran launches a missile towards Europe, being able to intercept it would certainly be desirable.”

[President of France Nicholas Sarkozy, press conference at the NATO Summit in Lisbon, 20 November 2010] [2] [3]




“The strategic concept adopted [by NATO] yesterday is in line with our expectations. We are very pleased about that. [4] [The NATO missile] defense system is being established against ballistic missiles, not against this or that country.” [5]

[President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, press conference at the NATO Summit in Lisbon, 20 November 2010] [4] [5]




“Turkey is our neighbour and friend. […] Authorities in Turkey have been notified about the concerns of the Islamic countries in the region over the suspicious [NATO missile defense] project.

[Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, weekly press conference, 16 November 2010] [6]


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“In the context of the [Obama administration’s] phased adaptive approach [to ballistic missile defense in Europe], Turkey plays an important role […] because of its geographic location. And as we look at where the ballistic missile threats can come from, Turkey seems to us to be very much along the front lines. […]

And now the decisions are in Ankara to make, both on Turkey’s role but especially, and this is another important point, especially on where Turkey is when it comes to voting at [NATO's Lisbon Summit] […] on whether to take on missile defense, territorial missile defense, as a NATO capability.”

[U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy Jim Townsend JR., briefing on the upcoming NATO Ministerial Meetings in Brussels, Washington Foreign Press Center, Washington, D.C., 12 October 2010] [7]




“[Y]ou should not underestimate how seriously we take the issue of a nuclearized Iran. After all, we are neighbors and nuclear weapons would threaten us most of all. We are the first to object.”

[President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, interview with the Christian Science Monitor, 30 September 2010] [8]


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notes:


[1] Obama’s Press Conference After NATO Summit in Lisbon

The White House website, 20 November 2010

 http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/November/20101120180210su0.4472882.html?CP.rss=true



[2] Missile threat today comes from Iran: Sarkozy

France 24, 20 November 2010

 http://www.france24.com/en/20101120-missile-threat-today-comes-iran-sarkozy



[3] [Note: The second sentence of the quote has been translated by Cem Ertür from the original French transcript.]

Sommet de l’OTAN – Conférence de presse de M. le Président de la République [NATO Summit – Press conference of the President of the Republic]

Présidence de La Republique (website of the President of France), 20 November 2010

 http://www.elysee.fr/president/les-actualites/conferences-de-presse/2010/sommet-de-l-otan-conference-de-presse-de-m-le.10064.html



[4] Turkey has Shaped NATO’s New Strategic Concept

Presidency of the Republic of Turkey website, 20 November 2010

 http://www.tccb.gov.tr/news/397/78085/turkey-has-greatly-contributed-to-natos-new-strategic-concept.html



[5] Turkey accepts NATO missile plan

Press TV, 20 November 2010

 http://www.presstv.ir/detail/151764.html



[6] [Note: This quote has been translated from Turkish by Cem Ertür]

ABD ve NATO anlasmaya yakin [U.S., NATO close to reach agreement]

Anadolu Ajansi, 16 November 2010

 http://www.aa.com.tr/tr/abd-ve-nato-anlasmaya-yakin-3.html



[7] U.S. Official on Upcoming NATO Ministerial Meetings in Brussels

America.gov, 12 October 2010

 http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/October/20101013120518su0.9436718.html?CP.rss=true



[8] The Christian Science Monitor

Presidency of the Republic of Turkey website, 30 September 2010

 http://www.tccb.gov.tr/interviews/379/77438/the-christian-science-monitor.html


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related links:


Lisbon Summit: NATO proclaims itself global military force

by Rick Rozoff, Dandelion Salad, 22 November 2010

 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/lisbon-summit-nato-proclaims-itself-global-military-force-by-rick-rozoff/



Active Engagement, Modern Defence – Strategic Concept for the Defence and Security of The Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation adopted by Heads of State and Government in Lisbon

NATO website, 19 November 2010

 http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_68580.htm



U.S.: Turkey plays an important role as an ally at the front line of ballistic missile threats

Dandelion Salad, 17 October 2010

 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/us-turkey-plays-an-important-role-as-an-ally-at-the-front-line-of-ballistic-missile-threats/



Turkey’s President Gul: Iran’s ultimate aspiration is to acquire nuclear weapons

Dandelion Salad, 29 March 2010

 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/turkey%E2%80%99s-president-gul-iran%E2%80%99s-ultimate-aspiration-is-to-acquire-nuclear-weapons/


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from the archives:


Coming war against Iran: Increasing Anglo-American pressure on Turkey

by Cem Ertür, Dandelion Salad, 21 June 2008

 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/coming-war-against-iran-increasing-anglo-american-pressure-on-turkey/



Will Turkey be complicit in another war against another neighbour?

by Cem Ertür, CASMII, 24 February 2008

 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/will-turkey-be-complicit-in-another-war-against-another-neighbour-by-cem-ertur/

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