NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday (15 March) told EU lawmakers he had “serious concerns” over actions by member Turkey and hoped an increased EU-NATO cooperation could counter China.“I have expressed my serious concerns, and we all know there are serious differences and some issues, ranging from the eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish decision to buy the Russian air defence system S-400 or related to democratic rights in Turkey,” Stoltenberg said speaking in front of a joint session of the foreign affairs and defence committees in the European Parliament.
“But I believe NATO at least can provide an important platform for discussing these issues, raising these issues and having serious debates and discussions about different concerns,” he added, insisting the alliance was an important platform for resolving disputes involving Ankara.
Turkey has by now irritated most of its allies, particularly France, over its stance in a maritime territorial dispute with fellow NATO member Greece and its role in the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, NATO last year set up a “de-confliction mechanism” to try to avoid clashes between Turkey and Greece as tensions spiked over the eastern Mediterranean and the stand-off has since calmed, Ankara itself has been on a broader diplomatic mission in recent months as it looks to improve ties with the EU and regional rivals such as Egypt amid uncertainty over Biden’s approach.
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