Turkey proceeds rejecting NATO’s defense plan for Poland and the Baltics, in spite of having made a deal the previous year between the Turkish president and Allied leaders.
This was reported by three Allied diplomats and a French defense on Wednesday, June 17.
Diplomats said that despite the fact that Ankara accepted the “Eagle Protector” plan, the state does not let NATO military leaders to realise it.
The dispute witnesses that there is still controversy between Ankara, Paris and Washington over Turkey’s offensive in northern Syria last year and that disagreements over NATO’s broader strategy have not been eliminated.
“Turkey refuses to accept these plans if we do not recognize PYD / PKK as a terrorist entity”, – said a spokesman for the French Ministry of Defense, referring to Syrian and Turkish Kurdish groups, which Ankara considers dangerous rebels.
“We say no. We must show solidarity with the eastern allies, and blocking these plans is unacceptable”, – the official said.
At a NATO summit in December, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other Allied leaders to abolish such demands.
Turkey started an offensive in northern Syria after the United States withdrew 1,000 troops from the territory in October. Ankara’s NATO allies said the invasion undermines the battle against Islamic state militants.