Turkey has key role in Europe’s security: NATO Chief

By Serife Cetin

BERLIN

The security of Europe cannot be achieved without countries of key importance such as Turkey, the NATO chief said on Monday.

Delivering a speech in German Atlantic Society in capital Berlin, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that non-EU member countries played a critical role for the security of Europe.

He stressed that Turkey has a “key importance” in fight against terrorism in Europe.

Hailing the EU efforts to improve self-defense abilities, Stoltenberg asserted that such attempts would further strengthen NATO on condition that they were in accordance with the transatlantic relations.

He said that 80 percent of NATO defense would be provided by non-EU member countries following the U.K.’s withdrawal from the union.

Stoltenberg also underlined that Turkey fought against the instability in Iraq and Syria.

*Ali Murat Alhas contributed to this story in Ankara