NATO MAY CANCEL EXERCISES IN ARMENIA, IF TURKEY DOESN’T ALLOW PASSAGE OF ITS CONVOY
Tert.am
25.08.10
If Turkey does not give its consent to the NATO convoy to pass through
its borders to the territory of Armenia, the NATO exercises scheduled
for September 11-17 can be cancelled, said the head of the Turkish
Foreign Ministry’s department for Eurasia Mehmet Fatih Ceylan.
“In theory, Turkey cannot to give permission and not to open the
border to pass the necessary equipment. But it will be exercises for
the emergency situations ministry to train for the fight against the
natural disaster that will not take a military character,” Turkish
diplomat told Azerbaijani news agency Trend.
According to Ceylan, if NATOcarries military-technical equipment
through Turkey’s territory for exercises in Armenia, then Ankara
would not give its consent. Given the exercises will take place
within the emergency situations, Turkey will likely open its border
with Armenia only for the transportation of necessary equipment for
the NATO exercises,” said Ceylan.
“The scenario is that earthquake occurs in Armenia and NATO forces
are sent there to provide necessary assistance,” Ceylan said, adding
that for this kind of exercise, Turkey, as a member of the alliance,
must allow a NATO convoy to pass through its borders. However, this
step does not mean that Turkey will officially open its border with
Armenia, the diplomat said.
Turkey closed down the border with Armenia in solidarity with
Azerbaijan in the 1993 Karabakh war.
From: A. Papazian