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Turkiye - NATO

Turkiye wants to be a part of Europe’s defence policy. Its army is very capable, and is Europe’s largest. By 2022, Turkiye remained in NATO partly to stop it becoming even more of an enemy, and partly because of the procedural difficulty of kicking it out. Turkiye’s relationship with NATO and the West has been both complicated and tumultuous. Turkiye’s acceptance into NATO stemmed more from the strategy of the alliance to stop the spread of communism in the face of Soviet advances, rather than Turkiye’s embodiment of NATO’s democratic values and founding principles.

Recent actions of concern by Turkiye under President Erdogan include President Erdogan’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system compromises NATO interoperability and undermines the alliance’s collective defense pledge, which demands our militaries and armaments can work together in the face of the threat posed by Russia. It also allows Vladimir Putin to continue to sow division in the alliance. In the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkiye surveyed for hydrocarbon resources in disputed waters also claimed by Greece, a NATO member, and Cyprus, a key transatlantic partner and EU member.

On 16 December 2020 House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and Lead Republican Michael McCaul released a statement on their deep concern over Turkiye’s actions under President Erdogan that endanger the NATO alliance, the broader region, and democracy and the rule of law in Turkiye. “We are gravely concerned by the threat Turkey’s increasingly provocative behavior poses to our decades-long bilateral relationship, to the NATO alliance, and to the region more broadly. While we continue to see real value in a strong U.S.-Turkey relationship, its destabilizing actions need to be more strongly addressed and the United States must work with its European and NATO allies and partners to continue to use all of the tools at their disposal to demand that Turkey reverse course. We strongly urge President Erdogan to put an end to Turkey’s provocative behavior so the United States and Turkey can once again enjoy a close and cooperative relationship built on mutual security interests, a strong commitment to NATO, and shared democratic values.... ”

Turkiye hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir. As a long-time NATO member and ally to several Middle East nations, Turkiye plays a significant defense role in the alliance. The country hosts an X-band missile radar and has historically hosted Patriot missile batteries. Incirlik Air Base, in southeastern Turkiye near Adana, is both a site of international military cooperation and a US staging base for air missions in Syria and Iraq. The 39th Air Base Wing at Incirlik aided in the air campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from Turkiye.

Ever since NATO membership in 1952, the North Atlantic Alliance has played a central role in Turkiye’s security and contributed to its integration with the Euro-Atlantic community. Turkiye, in return, has successfully assumed its responsibilities in defending the common values of the Alliance. Turkiye has opposed close NATO links with the EU as a way of punishing the Union for having admitted Cyprus while dragging its feet on Turkiye’s membership application. Turkiye also has a longrunning dispute with Cyprus, whose northern part it has occupied since 1974. Turkiye was making enemies in NATO because it had been obstructing discussions between NATO and the EU over their respective operations in Kosovo.

Turkiye attaches importance to NATO’s role in maintaining security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and in providing a forum for political-military consultations on topics of interest to its members. Indivisibility of Alliance security, solidarity among Allies and a fair risk and burden sharing as well as the consensus rule, are NATO’s guiding principles and should remain as such. Adherence to these principles as well as NATO’s ability to adapt to the changing security environment, have made NATO the most successful military alliance in history.

The success of current and future missions and operations will play a crucial role in shaping NATO’s future. Turkiye will continue to provide appropriate support to these operations. Turkiye also supports NATO’s transformation efforts, which are crucial for NATO’s success. It is therefore making substantial contributions to the NATO Response Force. A Force Command at high readiness level is established in Istanbul. Within the new NATO command structure, the air command in Izmir was replaced by a land command.

The “Partnership for Peace Training Center” was created in 1998 within the Turkish General Staff in an effort to contribute to the training and interoperability efforts of NATO’s partner nations. The Center provides strategic and tactical level training to military and civilian personnel from partner countries.

Turkiye welcomes the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU in accordance with the agreed framework between the two organizations. This partnership should be based on mutual support, complementarity and transparency and will contribute to addressing more efficiently existing risks and threats. Turkiye’s approach to NATO-EU cooperation is a natural result of its NATO membership and EU membership perspective.

Turkiye also strongly supports NATO’s partnerships. Turkiye also believes that a constructive relationship based on mutual understanding, transparency and cooperation between NATO and Russia is important for Euro-Atlantic peace and stability and that the NATO-Russia Council provides the necessary forum for such a relationship.

Turkiye believes that the integration of all Western Balkan countries in Euro-Atlantic structures is the key to lasting peace and stability in the region. Turkiye therefore supports the membership of interested countries, in particular Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in NATO, the irreversible strengthening of security in Kosovo and the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

With the understanding that European security cannot be dissociated from Mediterranean security, Turkiye shares the belief that the Mediterranean Dialogue should be strengthened in areas where NATO can bring an added value. Turkiye also supports further enhancing the relations with Gulf countries through the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.