LONDON
Turkey’s
role
in
NATO
and
contributions
in
regional
security
challenges
were
discussed
in
a
London
meeting
on
Monday.
The
panel
organized
by
the
Turkish
Communications
Directorate
hosted
a
number
of
academics
and
experts
on
the
alliance
and
Turkey’s
involvement
in
it.
Murat
Yesiltas,
director
of
security
studies
at
the
SETA
Foundation
(Foundation
for
Political,
Economic
and
Social
Research)
a
Turkey-based
think
tank
described
NATO
as
a “crucial
organization”,
saying
the
organization
was
going
through
a “sensitive”
time.
He
said
the
alliance
was
facing
various
threats,
including
two
major
ones
originating
from
the
east
and
south.
The
panel,
held
at
the
prestigious
Naval
and
Military
Club,
came
a
day
before
a
crucial
NATO
summit
in
the
British
capital.
Ahmet
Berat
Conkar,
a
Turkish
MP
from
ruling
AK
Party
and
a
member
of
the
Political
Committee
at
the
Turkish
Delegation
of
the
NATO
Parliamentary
Assembly
underlined
during
the
panel
that
Turkey
tried
to
bring “stability
to
the
region
and
conflicted
areas”
and
supported
NATO
initiatives
within
this
perspective.
After
the
U.S.
invasion
of
Iraq
and
Afghanistan,
things
changed
for
Turkey,
he
said.
Conkar
said
peace
and
stability
in
these
areas
under
invasion
have
been
ignored
and
caused
security
threats
for
Turkey.
He
also
said
that
all
NATO
allies
and
partners
were
expected
to
show
solidarity
with
Turkey
in
its
fight
against
terrorist
organizations
such
as
Daesh/ISIS
and
the
YPG/PKK.
However,
there
was
an “erosion
of
trust”
when
Turkey
did
not
find
that
support,
he
added.
Solidarity
and
trust
between
members
should
be
at
the
top
of
the
agenda
for
NATO,
Conkar
said.
The
panel
also
hosted
Aylin
Unver
Noi
from
Istinye
University
and
Kilic
Bugra
Kanat,
Research
Director
at
the
SETA
Foundation
at
Washington
D.C.
as
speakers.
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