Turkey's Gül defends NATO missile radar system

Turkey’s decision to host a missile defense radar in eastern Anatolia demonstrates its commitment to NATO, President Abdullah Gül said May 18 en route to Chicago for the alliance summit while outlining Ankara’s plans for the conference, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“Turkey will make an active contribution to the decisions to be taken at the Chicago Summit,” Gül told reporters. “We will declare a missile defense capability which aims to eliminate the risks and threats of the proliferation of ballistic missiles,” he said, adding that the heads of state and government of 60 countries, as well as the 28 NATO members, would attend the Chicago conference.

 During his stay in the United States, Gül will also meet with Turkish expatriates, visit Silicon Valley, participate in a conference on leadership at Stanford University and speak at think tanks.