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NATO: 'We stand with Turkey'
(CNN) - NATO foreign ministers have approved Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to defend its borders, a statement of "solidarity" with its fellow alliance member.
"Today NATO agreed to augment Turkey's air defense by deploying Patriot missiles to Turkey. Turkey has asked for NATO's support and we stand with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity," said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"To Turkish people we say, we are determined to defend you and your territory. To anyone who would want to attack Turkey, we say, don't even think about it. "
The move is in response to the spilling over of the Syrian civil war into Turkey, where errant Syrian artillery shells struck the border town of Akcakale and killed five Turkish civilians in October.
Turkey asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles along its border to bolster its air defenses against Syrian threats.
The United States, Germany and Netherlands, which all have Patriot capabilities, have signaled they would be willing to contribute missiles. Rasmussen believes the "actual deployment will take place within weeks."
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(CNN) - NATO foreign ministers have approved Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to defend its borders, a statement of "solidarity" with its fellow alliance member.
"Today NATO agreed to augment Turkey's air defense by deploying Patriot missiles to Turkey. Turkey has asked for NATO's support and we stand with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity," said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"To Turkish people we say, we are determined to defend you and your territory. To anyone who would want to attack Turkey, we say, don't even think about it. "
The move is in response to the spilling over of the Syrian civil war into Turkey, where errant Syrian artillery shells struck the border town of Akcakale and killed five Turkish civilians in October.
Turkey asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles along its border to bolster its air defenses against Syrian threats.
The United States, Germany and Netherlands, which all have Patriot capabilities, have signaled they would be willing to contribute missiles. Rasmussen believes the "actual deployment will take place within weeks."
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