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Syria slams Turkey's request for missiles as `provocative'
November 23, 2012 - 21:49 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Syria on Friday, Nov 23 condemned Turkey's request
for NATO to deploy Patriot defense missiles near their common border,
calling it "provocative", after a spate of fighting there that has
raised fears of the Syrian civil war embroiling the wider region,
Reuters reported.
In the first Syrian response to Ankara's request earlier this week, a
ministry source told Syrian state television that Damascus would hold
Turkey's prime minister responsible for increasing tensions along the
frontier.
The 20-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has
grown increasingly bloody and heavy clashes often erupt right along
Syria's northern border with Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly scrambled
fighter jets and responded in kind to stray shells flying into its
territory.
Turkey's missile request may have riled Damascus and its allies
because it could be seen as a first step toward implementing a no-fly
zone. Syrian rebels have been requesting one to help them hold
territory against a government with overwhelming firepower from the
air, but which most foreign governments are loath to impose for fear
of getting sucked into the conflict.
The Patriot system is designed to intercept aircraft or missiles.
Turkey asked for its deployment after weeks of talks with its NATO
allies about how to shore up its 900-km (560 mile) border, where it
fears security may deteriorate as the Syrian army steps up fighting
against rebel advances.
"Syria stresses its condemnation of the Turkish government's latest
provocative step," the ministry source told Syria TV.
The source said that Syria would respect Turkish sovereignty but also
said that it "holds (Tayyip) Erdogan responsible for the
militarization of the situation on the Syrian-Turkish border and
increased tensions".
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday that the possible
deployment of Patriot missiles was "purely defensive" and would "serve
as a deterrent to possible enemies even thinking of attacks".
The U.S.-led Western alliance has had some talks on the Turkish
request but no decision is expected before next week.
From: A. Papazian
November 23, 2012 - 21:49 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Syria on Friday, Nov 23 condemned Turkey's request
for NATO to deploy Patriot defense missiles near their common border,
calling it "provocative", after a spate of fighting there that has
raised fears of the Syrian civil war embroiling the wider region,
Reuters reported.
In the first Syrian response to Ankara's request earlier this week, a
ministry source told Syrian state television that Damascus would hold
Turkey's prime minister responsible for increasing tensions along the
frontier.
The 20-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has
grown increasingly bloody and heavy clashes often erupt right along
Syria's northern border with Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly scrambled
fighter jets and responded in kind to stray shells flying into its
territory.
Turkey's missile request may have riled Damascus and its allies
because it could be seen as a first step toward implementing a no-fly
zone. Syrian rebels have been requesting one to help them hold
territory against a government with overwhelming firepower from the
air, but which most foreign governments are loath to impose for fear
of getting sucked into the conflict.
The Patriot system is designed to intercept aircraft or missiles.
Turkey asked for its deployment after weeks of talks with its NATO
allies about how to shore up its 900-km (560 mile) border, where it
fears security may deteriorate as the Syrian army steps up fighting
against rebel advances.
"Syria stresses its condemnation of the Turkish government's latest
provocative step," the ministry source told Syria TV.
The source said that Syria would respect Turkish sovereignty but also
said that it "holds (Tayyip) Erdogan responsible for the
militarization of the situation on the Syrian-Turkish border and
increased tensions".
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday that the possible
deployment of Patriot missiles was "purely defensive" and would "serve
as a deterrent to possible enemies even thinking of attacks".
The U.S.-led Western alliance has had some talks on the Turkish
request but no decision is expected before next week.
From: A. Papazian