Egozi: Is Turkey Still a Real Member of NATO?

Egozi: Is Turkey Still a Real Member of NATO?

NATO

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By Arie Egozi

In recent months, Turkey has made some moves that put the value of this country’s membership in NATO under a considerable doubt. It seems that de facto, Turkey has long deserted its obligation to the organization.

The history of Turkey’s odd actions in the context of NATO is long. The last step has been just another proof of the strange situation.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organization has received no request from Turkey to integrate its Russian origin S-400 missile defense system with the North-Atlantic defense bloc. “I am aware that Turkey has made an agreement or they have announced their intention to buy S-400 Russian air defense system. That’s a national Turkish decision. What matters for NATO is whether it will be integrated into the NATO air defense system. There has been no request for that,” Stoltenberg was quoted as saying by Hurriyet Daily on Feb. 20 at the alliance headquarters.

“It goes without saying that it will be a difficult issue,” the Secretary-General explained, since the Russian system will not be interoperable with NATO’s air defense systems.

So Turkey is buying Russian-made systems and not long ago was even in negotiations with China regarding a possible deal to purchase Chinese weapon systems.

Editor-in-Chief, iHLS