In recent years, Turkey has sought stronger ties with fellow Muslim states in the Middle East, including Iran, to rebalance a foreign policy that previously leaned heavily toward the West.But it has split with Iran as of late on Syria's violent crackdown on dissent.Turkey, seen as a bridge between the Middle East and the West, has become increasingly critical of Iranian ally Syria, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul saying he had lost confidence in the country.Turkey has also sought stronger ties with Russia, which has said a NATO missile defense system could threaten its security if it develops the capability to down Russian nuclear missiles.Still, Russia's NATO envoy said a radar system in Turkey would not threaten Russian security, but reiterated accusations the United States was pushing ahead with its plans for a missile shield despite vows to cooperate with Moscow.The Kremlin is demanding a role in a joint system or binding guarantees that Russia would not be targeted."According to Russian military experts, the deployment of a radar in Turkey is not a direct threat to Russia's strategic nuclear forces," the Interfax news agency quoted Russia's NATO envoy, Dmitry Rogozin, as saying.But he said, "The United States continues to pursue its plan for deployment of the military infrastructure of missile defense ... independently of consultations it is holding in the NATO format and, more broadly, with Russian participation."
Turkey announces it will host NATO anti-missile radar
Pentagon says radar system will go online this year to help spot missile threats coming from outside Europe, including, potentially, from Iran.
In recent years, Turkey has sought stronger ties with fellow Muslim states in the Middle East, including Iran, to rebalance a foreign policy that previously leaned heavily toward the West.But it has split with Iran as of late on Syria's violent crackdown on dissent.Turkey, seen as a bridge between the Middle East and the West, has become increasingly critical of Iranian ally Syria, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul saying he had lost confidence in the country.Turkey has also sought stronger ties with Russia, which has said a NATO missile defense system could threaten its security if it develops the capability to down Russian nuclear missiles.Still, Russia's NATO envoy said a radar system in Turkey would not threaten Russian security, but reiterated accusations the United States was pushing ahead with its plans for a missile shield despite vows to cooperate with Moscow.The Kremlin is demanding a role in a joint system or binding guarantees that Russia would not be targeted."According to Russian military experts, the deployment of a radar in Turkey is not a direct threat to Russia's strategic nuclear forces," the Interfax news agency quoted Russia's NATO envoy, Dmitry Rogozin, as saying.But he said, "The United States continues to pursue its plan for deployment of the military infrastructure of missile defense ... independently of consultations it is holding in the NATO format and, more broadly, with Russian participation."