NATO vessels that have been deployed in the Aegean Sea to help stem the flow of refugees on to the Greek islands and ultimately into Europe have not yet started operating in Turkish waters, as was previously agreed by all parties.
Despite requests from NATO’s German command , “the Turks refused” to allow NATO vessels into their territorial waters, according to a news release from AFP.
AFP said that a second diplomat confirmed the Turks’ refusal.
The plan that was originally agreed was for the NATO force to conduct reconnaissance, monitoring and surveillance and to provide information to Greece, Turkey and the EU’s border agency Frontex so that they — not NATO — can deal with the traffickers.
Turkey meanwhile, according to the AFP report “is showing little to no interest” in taking back migrants picked up by the NATO vessels at sea as they attempt to make the perilous crossing to Greece, the source said.
Plans for the mission were first laid out in a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara on February 8. Three days later, defense ministers from NATO’s member states gave their go-ahead to start preparing the operation, and to the immediate deployment of three vessels in the Aegean.
3 comments
I am so sick of this utter crap. The Turkish govt is effectively pushing refugees to cross dangerous waters to travel to Hellenic (Greek) Islands or to cross the occupied Thracian border. The Turks openly do NOTHING about people smugglers. The Turks daily fly or sail into Hellenic territorial jurisdiction. ANd they have received a H U G E sum from the EU to help with the refugee crisis only I believe they will instead use that sum to CONTINUE helping ISIL, continue buying oil they control and giving them medical aid. But NATO hasn’t the genitalia to suspend Turkey from NATO membership.
Well it needs to be remembered whent they want to Join the E.U, and aren’t they being allowed to travel here next year without visa’s? stop it.
If it is the case that Turkey is refusing NATO warships into its waters on humanitarian grounds then Turkey should be kicked out of NATO!