Nato chief slams Russia over Turkey's Patriot request

Russia has no right to meddle in Turkey's deployment of Patriot missiles, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says.

Rasmussen has said the Patriot missiles to be deployed on the Turkish-Syrian border to counter threats from Syria will be under Nato control, Today's Zaman reports.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said a Nato decision endorsing the deployment of missiles will be made in the coming days. Approval by the parliaments of member countries are required for the organization to send the missiles. The missile system's transport, expected to be by sea, will also take time.

Rasmussen also announced that the missiles will remain under Nato control, be installed by Nato allies and will be under the command of the alliance.

Rasmussen added that the alliance will not hesitate to take “further steps” to ensure Turkey's security and that the group will make their formal decision on Turkey's request for Patriot missiles “within days.”

Commenting on Russia's concern over the deployment of the Patriot missiles, Rasmussen said Moscow's anxiety is not based on legitimate concerns.

Russia said openly last Thursday that it opposes the deployment of NATO Patriot missiles on Turkey's border with Syria, a sign of deepening tensions across the region over the Syrian crisis.