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Wednesday 02 Dec 2015 - 13:30 Makkah mean time-20-2-1437
Brussels, (IINA) - The NATO's foreign ministers have pledged on Tuesday to step up air defense and other security measures for Turkey in a show of solidarity to stand by the member country as it faces terrorist threats and tensions with Russia, DPA reported.
"Allies stand in strong solidarity with Turkey", the ministers said in a joint statement following talks in Brussels. "We remain determined, in a spirit of 28 for 28, to continue developing additional NATO assurance measures".
Since 2013, the military alliance has stationed Patriot missiles in Turkey to thwart attacks from neighboring Syria. However, only one Spanish battery remains there after Germany and the United States pulled out their missiles.
"Our ally Turkey is literally on the frontline", NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. "We now are addressing how we can continue to augment the air defenses of Turkey, how we can continue to follow up the standing defense plans for Turkey".
The United States has already deployed F-15 fighter jets to the country, a move that US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute said "will go on as long as necessary".
Britain is also ready to deploy planes to the Incirlik air base as part of the new NATO measures, while Germany and Denmark have offered to contribute command ships to NATO naval forces, some of which are stationed in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Stoltenberg. The support measures are expected to be finalized within weeks, he added.
"Turkey ... is a strong ally within NATO, a member of NATO and we need to support [it]", Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion noted.
AG/IINA
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