The alliance meets in June to finalize the location of next year’s summit. Eighteen EU countries and Canada will fight for Belgium to host the 2018 NATO summit instead of Turkey, Die Welt reported Wednesday. According to the German paper, a group of European countries in the military alliance led by Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark “vehemently” oppose the annual summit being held in Turkey after a downturn in relations between the EU and Istanbul.
Politico reports in its article EU countries move to block Turkey from hosting NATO summit: report that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had invited the leaders of NATO member countries to Istanbul for the 2018 summit during their meeting in Warsaw in July 2016. The leaders had informally assented at the time.
“We do not want to enhance Turkey’s international credentials and [we want to] avoid the impression that NATO supports the Turkish government’s internal policy,” a high-ranking NATO diplomat told Die Welt.
NATO spokesperson Piers Cazalet confirmed that Turkey made an offer to host a summit last week, but said that “no decision has been made yet on the venue or timing of the 2018 NATO summit.”
While Brussels is also being considered, “these options are not mutually exclusive,” Cazelet added. “Allies will take a decision on the time and location of the next summit in due course.”
Tensions flared earlier this year when some European countries and cities prevented Turkish government officials from campaigning within their borders for a Turkish constitutional referendum designed to help boost President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s powers.
In response, Erdoğan accused Europe of conducting “Nazi practices” and threatened to pull out of Turkey’s agreement with the EU designed to prevent migrants from reaching European shores.
In addition, Turkey had also prevented German MPs from visiting German troops stationed at the NATO airbase in Incirlik in southern Turkey.
