Turkish activists slam NATO radar

Turkish activists have held a protest rally to condemn the establishment of a NATO radar system in their country, saying the system aims at protecting Israel, Press TV reports. The activists from the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People, in their protest rally which was staged in front of the Turkish parliament in Ankara on Saturday, said the NATO radar system will turn Turkey into an “intelligence-provider” for imperialist wars. Turkey has accepted to host the US-made radar system in the Kurecik district of the southeastern province of Malatya as part of a NATO missile system. The system is said to be part of a broader missile project that will put Iran and Russia within the range of US missiles. The protesters, who carried banners that read “NATO’s goal: War against Iran, Shield for Israel,” voiced their anger at reports that said US and Israel had recently held a missile test, partly by using intelligence obtained from the Malatya radar system. They also called on the Turkish government to avoid taking steps that could damage Turkey’s strong ties with its neighbors. The protest came only one day after Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen declared in a joint news conference in Ankara that Turkey and NATO will not allow the radar’s data to be shared with any third party, including Israel. The protesters said the remarks made by Davutoglu and Rasmussen aim at hiding the reality behind the NATO radar system. Turkish activists have held several similar protests to voice their opposition to the radar system, saying the station will be of no benefit to Turkey and will even endanger the country's interests. Observers say Turkey’s agreement to the installment of the NATO missile system and its harsh stance toward Syria are among the most controversial moves taken by the Turkish government over the past year.