LOC21:54
18:54 GMT
ANKARA, June 6 (KUNA) -- Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said Monday coastal
city of Izmir could become a base for NATO's land forces if the military
alliance decided to close its airbase in the western city.
Gonul said Izmir, Turkey's third largest city, would host NATO's ground
forces if the North Atlantic Treaty Organization decided to shut down its
airbase in the city.
No final decision has been taken to transform the airbase into a base for
ground forces, he said, but the matter would be discussed by NATO's defense
ministers in Brussels this coming Wednesday.
He hinted that Izmir could remain an airbase for NATO, but did not
elaborate.
Turkey insists that Izmir remain a major base for NATO's ground forces, and
Ankara had already taken some measures that would facilitate this
transformation.
NATO is considering closure of its airbase in Izmir, part of plans to shut
down other bases in the European continent in order to reduce defense costs
and personnel.
The military alliance has around 400 people in Izmir airbase, the place
where NATO commands air force operations in East Mediterranean.
NATO is commanding its air operations over Libya from its Izmir base. (end)
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