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On March 3rd, the Turkish Ambassador to the UK, Ümit Yalçın said that Turkey had request military support for its Idlib operation from its NATO allies.
Yalcin said Turkey was calling on its NATO allies – the majority of them also members of the EU – to provide diplomatic, political, military and humanitarian support to Turkey in its fight to push back a regime advance from capturing Idlib province on its border.
The alliance’s 29 ambassadors held a North Atlantic Council session on February 28th, called by Turkey under Article 4 of NATO’s founding principles – this refers to when an ally has concerns about its security.
The meeting resulted in some hollow rhetoric that expressed a wish for a ceasefire, but no concrete decision to provide any sort of tangible support for Turkey in Idlib.
“The NATO support is important to strengthen our border and our air defenses,” he said.
“We also need deterrence against Syrian regime atrocities. And we should again keep engagement with Russia intact to keep that area calm and peaceful.”
He indicated that Turkey was looking more for support provided by military aircraft and ground air defense systems than actual troops on the ground.
“NATO support should be visible and concrete,” the ambassador said.
“We already started our own operation and we need that support behind us.”
He also accused the EU of “betrayal, hypocrisy and selfishness” for failing to uphold an agreement to stem the flow of Syrian refugees and migrants into Europe.
The UK Foreign Minister, Dominic Raab changed his schedule of overseas tours to fit in a visit to Ankara in a presumed show of support for Turkey.
Umit Yalcin said Ankara welcomed the show of support.
“This is very meaningful and a very important approach, a show of solidarity and friendship,” he told Sky News.
Ankara accused Brussels of failing to meet the terms of a migration deal struck in March 2016 that saw Turkey agree to stop migrants and refugees crossing into Europe in return for €6bn and enhanced EU-Turkey ties, including visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and an upgraded customs union.
Yalcin said: “We did our fulfilment of our commitment and they did not do anything.
“And because of that – enough is enough. We are overloaded. We cannot control millions and millions of people. We only ask for fair and equal responsibility sharing and burden sharing. We only want to see the fulfilment of that deal, not more.”
He was also asked if Ankara felt betrayed by the EU:
“It is a betrayal, hypocrisy, selfishness and it is not sincere, it is not fair… If they can only fulfil their commitments in that agreement I think that would be wonderful.”
The ambassador rejected allegations from the EU that Ankara was resorting to “blackmail” in allowing migrants in Turkey to move to its border with Greece, which it very obviously is doing.
He said: “To prevent additional humanitarian crisis on anywhere in Europa or on any border with Europe we should first prevent a humanitarian crisis in Idlib.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 5th, to discuss the situation in Idlib.
Yalcin said the bilateral meeting was “very critical”.
“We need to preserve the de-escalation area status of Idlib,” he said. “We need to see a real ceasefire. We need to protect civilians in Idlib and we need to remind them (Russia) of their responsibility to respect those de-escalation memorandums.”
Russia maintains its claim that Turkey is in default of fulfilling its commitments under the Sochi agreement.
According to Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for Russia’s Defense Ministry, Turkey has not fulfilled its obligations to create a demilitarized zone. According to him, Turkish observation posts have merged with fortified terrorist areas.
“Attacks and massive artillery shelling of neighboring peaceful settlements and the Russian Khmeimim air base from sporadic became daily,” Konashenkov said.
He also noted that Turkey, in violation of international law, threw into Idlib “a strike force of the strength of a mechanized division,” and that “no one in the West watches” Ankara’s actions.
The United States is willing to give NATO ally Turkey ammunition alongside humanitarian assistance in northwestern Syria where Ankara is in a deepening standoff with Russia, the U.S. special representative for the region said on March 3rd.
On March 2nd, Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey and US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kelly Kraft arrived in Turkey. The main agenda of the visit was the escalation of hostilities in Syrian Idlib and possible military assistance to a NATO member.
“We’re willing to provide – for example the President (Trump) mentioned this – ammunition,” Jeffrey said, adding Turkish counterparts had also “very much stressed” the need for humanitarian assistance.
“Turkey is a NATO ally. We have a very, very big foreign military sales programme, much of the Turkish military uses American equipment,” he said. “We will make sure that that equipment is ready. As a NATO partner we share information intelligence…and we are going to ensure that they have what they need there.”
In addition, US Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield told reporters that the United States is considering a request from the Turkish government for the acquisition of Patriot, a long-range air-to-air missile system.
On the previous day, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that no air support would be provided to Turkey.
#BREAKING #US Pentagon Chief Esper says they will not provide air support to #Turkey in Syria
Regarding refugees, Esper said that opening borders is Turkey’s decision to make pic.twitter.com/TaxduXjFp9
— EHA News (@eha_news) March 2, 2020
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fuck u TURKEY
that country should perished
You can’t open the migrant floodgates and then expect NATO to come to your rescue. You made your bed, you slimy worm Erdogan (no insults to slimy worms intended), you have to live in it.
Turkey goat fuckers are using the Zionist cry baby textbook to hide behind the Americunt dumbasses and NATO faggots. Greece should VETO any Turkey request for assistance and the mad ErDOG got the third rate Turkey peasant military to invade Syria and now faces a quagmire. No European should die for the Turkey scum.
Syrian answer, “come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough”.
exactly this ! after the drone strike they are saying …ok this is your worst? hahaha your toy are funny let’s fight
What they truly said was PUTIN!! Please save us this is hell
The Turks created the refugee problem with their war against Syria. They should support clearing operations to get rid of the terrorists of their own creation. And then participate in removing the IDF from the occupied territories.
Watch out, seems like Bibi didn’t get most seats in the end. Gantz can still be the PM, and remove your SAA and other Iranian roaches from this planet. Now go cry.
Are you aware that the greatest war crime is that of agression?
IRGC are right next to our border, I see it as an aggression and provocation.
IRGC is probably right in Israel itself, you just don’t know it.
You cant change the definition of agression to suits your political whimsy, thats not how it works son.
IRGC has never crossed Israeli border and never attack israel in Israel. PERIOD.
Everything else is projection to justify IDF aggression.
Provocation perhaps, but definitly not aggression.
Israel is guilty of aggression many many times, we wont even open that can of worms.
The greatest crime is that of aggression, according to the nuremburg trials, you can turn it upside down, the precedent has been set generations ago.
Gantz would be a blessing after bibi, he wouldnt support jihadis.
I would not be so shure about it
He would kill them more likely.
I think he would make peace beneficial for all sides.
He would definately stop supporting terrorists.
But bibi is here to stay unfortunatelly, he is like Merkel, never going away…
I thought so too yesterday, but apperantly his 9 souls are about to end. If he can’t form a governemnt, then Gantz might get the chance to do it.
:(
War game it out if you can walk the talk.
Little Jew boy, back to wanking :)
Turkey is rule by a tyrant. The population of Turkey do as Erdogan wishes instead of boycotts out of fear of Erdogan and Syrian oil thief son.
Putin should block Erdogan terrorists rearming and repositioning ceasefire. Putin should tell Erdogan to withdraw from Syria and move 40 awayins8de Turkey. L. Because there is no de-escalation zones anymore in Idlib.
They can cry they wont get any ;)
Not that Patriots are any worth they cant even stop toyrockets from Iran :_(
SAA is gaining Turkroaches are draining ;)
Free XXL Tampax for every hasbarat…?
Erdogan is done in Syria, he is begging now. Desperation. Dead Turkish TAF members are piling up the pressure, drip by rip, day by day. On top of that, every meter of territory taken from their grip is confirming that they are done. A counterattack on Saraqib with Russia now securing it, is absolute stupidity. I think Erdo and crew have probably lost their minds at this point. My take folks.
those christian EU nations will be a fool if they comply
You don’t stab Russia in the back and get away with it and doing it twice is suicide. Best Turkey can do is get rid of Erdogan asap and have him replaced by a person that has a higher IQ over 50.
He is not stupid – he is just a Dönmeh who follows Israels orders. As a Manchurian Candidate, he can’t do anything about Bibi’s orders…
I cannot forget what was I read before that the US will take/taste a slapped by the Ottomans. And now Erdogan begging the US for back-up. Further what a valid reason that NATO will support Turkey in their military operation in Idlib. Idlib is not a territory of Turkey it’s Syria’s territory. Turkey invade Idlib so, there’s no such reason NATO will support Turkey. Idlib battle is Turkey’s interest, NATO’s had no interest there..
Esper has some brains, any air support from the U.S will result in 100% losses of their crappy planes. Nice practice for Russia if it ever happened.
Disclosure :I like Putin ,hate American Exceptionalism and want Syria to be free. However , I believe we have reached a stalemate. Putin will not help Syria take back any more of Idlib ,Afrin or NE Syria. Americans still remain in oilfields and crossings as do Israelis in Golan.
How will this war end? Syria can’t keep fighting this low intensity war year after year just to stay in exactly the same position. We need a circuit breaker to change the momentum and start winning the war and not just keeping our necks above water.
How?