NATO calls emergency meeting after Turkey's request
Baku, July 28, AZERTAC
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary-general, has called an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss security at the request of Turkey after last week's suicide bombing there and ongoing Turkish security operations on two fronts, according to Aljazeera.
NATO said in a statement on Sunday that the North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 28 NATO allies, would meet following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under Article 4 of NATO's founding Washington Treaty.
Turkey announced on Friday a double military offensive, one against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group across the border in Syria, and the other targeting Kurdish PKK fighters in northern Iraq.
"Turkey requested the meeting in view of the seriousness of the situation after the heinous terrorist attacks in recent days, and also to inform allies of the measures it is taking," NATO said.
"NATO allies follow developments very closely and stand in solidarity with Turkey."
In Article 4, members are encouraged to bring subjects to the table for discussion for political consultation.
Since the alliance's creation in 1949, Article 4 of NATO has been invoked several times, such as by Turkey in 2003 and in 2012, and Poland in 2014.
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