ANKARA Ñ The United States has offered Turkey a major role in a NATO
missile defense system.
Turkish officials said the U.S. Defense Department has held a series of
briefings for Turkish and other NATO envoys on Washington's proposal for a
missile defense umbrella. The officials said Washington's offer was for a
regional missile defense system that would protect NATO allies throughout
Europe.
The U.S. offer calls for NATO allies to cooperate with Washington in
establishing a network of air and missile defense assets that would protect
Europe from an attack from the Middle East or North Korea. Turkish officials
said the U.S. proposal was first presented to Turkey in late July and then
discussed with other NATO allies last week.
Under the proposal, Turkey would be recruited in an industry effort to
provide early-warning and other systems for the missile defense umbrella.
The officials said the Bush administration has not discussed specifics on
funding and technical cooperation.
The United States has been wooing NATO allies for nearly a decade to
join a missile defense umbrella based largely on U.S. or jointly-developed
systems. Washington has offered the PAC-3 to European allies including
Turkey and has engaged in the Medium Extended Air Defense, or MEADS,
program. Germany and the Netherlands have expressed interest in purchasing
the PAC-3.
The MEADS program includes the United States, Germany and Italy and
envisions a mobile system designed to provide limited area defense and
protection of military forces against the threat of tactical ballistic
missiles and cruise missiles. The program, which seeks to replace the aging
Hawk system, has been moving slowly because of lack of funding.
In June, the Pentagon announced plans for intense consultations with
NATO allies to enlist their cooperation in missile defense. The effort was
decided after the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile
Treaty.
Turkish government sources said the U.S. offer falls short of Ankara's
request for bilateral missile defense cooperation that would eventually
include the procurement of the Israeli-U.S. Arrow-2. The sources said Turkey
has requested the Arrow-2 since 1999 in face of Washington's objections.
In contrast, Turkey's Foreign Ministry has supported the U.S. plan for a
NATO defense umbrella. Officials said the ministry has urged that Ankara
agree to a European effort that would help Turkey integrate into the
European
Union rather than a bilateral effort with Israel that would anger neighbors
in the
Middle East.
In an unrelated development, Turkey began a reshuffle of its military
commanders. Gen. Aytac Yalman left his post as gendarmerie, or paramilitary
commander, and became chief of the Land Forces Command. The new gendarmerie
commander is Gen. Sener Eruygur.
Gen. Hilmi Ozkok has been appointed chief of staff, replacing Gen.
Huseyin Kivrikoglu. Kivrikoglu has gone into retirement.
