Russian journalist warns of possible Turkish split from NATO
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ekim 30, 2007 12:04
Russian journalist Mihael Leontiyev, known by regional experts as one of the "voices of the Kremlin," has commented on the growing crisis involving Turkey and the US over the matter of northern Iraq, asserting that if the situation continued, NATO would be at risk of losing Turkey as a member.
Said Leontiyev this week, speaking on Russian television station ORT, "On November 2, US Secretary of State Rice is coming to Ankara. Her goal will be to sway Turkey from intervening in northern Iraq.....When we look at the roots of the problem, we see an interesting scenario. Until recently, Turkey was not only one of the close allies of the US, it was also second strongest army in the western military alliance we call NATO. With the US, which appears to have embraced the idea of an Iraq split into three parts, continuing down this path, it appears that NATO will lose the number one power and balance in its southern wing, Turkey. And if Turkey decides to part paths with NATO, all that will remain of NATO will be its 'NA.'"