NATO chief says Turkey has every right to defend itself

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that Turkey has every right to defend itself and prosecute those involved in last year’s failed coup attempt. Stoltenberg told EU defence ministers meeting in Malta that holding to account those involved in the coup must be done in accordance with the principle of respect for the rule of law.

He pointed out that Turkey ranks second after the US within NATO in terms of military strength. The NATO chief noted that it is one of the most important pillars of the organisation because of its multiple geopolitical advantages.

“The importance of Turkey stems from being a monitoring window for the violence in Iraq and Syria,” he explained, “as well as its geographical proximity to Russia.” He reminded his audience that no NATO country has been subjected to terrorist attacks like Turkey has.

On Wednesday, the Turkish media quoted Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu as saying that Ankara has launched an operation against persons suspected of links to Fethullah Gülen. The US-based cleric is accused by the Turkish authorities of planning the attempted coup last summer.

Since then, say media reports, the authorities have issued arrest orders against 3,224 people. According to Soylu, 1,009 of them have been arrested.