F-16 message from NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg: 'It is gratifying...'

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made statements to AA regarding the contributions Turkey has made to the Alliance and current issues as it celebrates the 72nd anniversary of its accession to NATO.

Stoltenberg, a former Prime Minister of Norway, has served as Secretary General of the 32-member Alliance since October 1, 2014. Stoltenberg's term has been extended 4 times previously. The last extension, made in July last year, will expire on October 1.

Having left behind nearly 10 years in his NATO career, Stoltenberg also recounted the work he has carried out with President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the close cooperation he has established with allied leaders over the past 10 years.

TURKEY'S DEFENSE INDUSTRY INVESTMENTS

Mr. Secretary General, thank you very much for hosting Anadolu Agency (AA) at NATO headquarters. You have stated many times that Turkey, as a very important country, has been contributing to collective security and regional stability for decades. This year, Turkey is celebrating the 72nd anniversary of its accession to NATO. As a NATO Secretary General who has served the Alliance for nearly 10 years, how do you evaluate Turkey's contribution to NATO?

"Turkey is an important and very valuable NATO ally. You (Turkey) have been a member of this Alliance for 72 years. Just last month, we celebrated the (72nd) anniversary (of Turkey's NATO membership). Turkey has contributed to our common security and common defense in many different ways. Turkey possesses the second-largest army in the Alliance, with well-trained and equipped military forces. You participate in NATO missions and operations, including in Kosovo and Iraq. Not only that, but Turkey's geographical strategic location, which borders Russia in the north and the Black Sea, as well as Iraq and Syria, is of course important for the entire Alliance. Turkey plays an important role in the fight against terrorism, especially in the fight against ISIS. NATO allies and all of us have used infrastructure bases in Turkey to help fight terrorism. Therefore, I appreciate all the efforts Turkey has made to support the Alliance in continuing to be a key ally."

I think it would not be wrong to say that we are going through a period where the need to increase defense industry production in Europe is felt most acutely with the war in Ukraine. Turkey has become one of the leading allies in this field with its increasing military deterrence capability. The country has developed 9 domestic aircraft in 10 years. The latest example of these is the fifth-generation fighter jet KAAN. What do you think about the KAAN fighter jet and the role of the Turkish defense industry in today's and tomorrow's NATO?

The defense industry is very important. The war in Ukraine has revealed the importance of having a strong defense industry. I welcome the efforts of the Turkish government and also the Turkish defense industry to invest in new high-level advanced capabilities, including fighter jets; this is important. I also welcome the fact that Turkey has produced Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles, which have proven to be very effective for many years. (Bayraktars) played an important role for the Ukrainians in defending their own country.

I also welcome the recent announcements regarding more cooperation between the Turkish defense industry and the defense industries of other countries in the Alliance. Furthermore, it is gratifying that the US will now refurbish and deliver more F-16s, that Canada and Turkey are working on Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles and parts for unmanned aerial vehicles delivered by Canada, or for example, the announcement that Sweden and Turkey will work more closely together to develop defense industry projects. These are things that Turkey does individually as an ally. But beyond that, what is really important is that Turkey is working with all allies to develop and produce military capabilities.

"IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE ALLIES TRADING MORE WITH TURKEY"

Turkey frequently brings up the issue of lifting defense trade restrictions between allies. How do you evaluate the current situation regarding this?

I strongly believe that NATO allies should not be subject to any restrictions in defense trade among themselves. We are in an Alliance where we have promised to protect each other, defend each other, and ultimately die for each other. Of course, we should also be able to trade defense equipment among ourselves. At the NATO Summit in Vilnius, we made a very strong statement and took a decision where allies agreed to remove barriers to the trade of defense equipment. Furthermore, it is also gratifying to see that allies are now trading more with Turkey, as seen in the examples of F-16s and other important capabilities and equipment that Turkey has purchased from other NATO allies.

CALL TO NATO AND EU MEMBERS

I have a question about the EU's new strategies to develop its defense industry capabilities. A strategy of "buy European" has emerged, encouraging production and procurement in this field to be within EU members. Considering that most of these countries are also NATO members, how do you evaluate these steps taken outside the NATO framework, which give the impression that they exclude defense industry giants such as the US, the UK, and Turkey?

I think it is important for EU and NATO allies to make more efforts in the field of defense. For example, increasing defense spending is a prerequisite for a meaningful multiplication of efforts in the field of defense. For years, NATO has been calling on its European allies to spend more on defense, and now they are spending more, which is a good thing. It is also a good thing that the EU is making more efforts to overcome the fragmentation in the European defense industry. Of course, everything the EU does to encourage creativity, development, or new capabilities is good.

What is not good is to duplicate, compete with, and overlap NATO's efforts. For example, when it comes to our allies deciding what to invest in and setting capability targets, this is NATO's core responsibility. It is part of defense planning. Because a correct collective defense must also rely on elements that complement each other on the battlefield. Therefore, NATO's defense planning, setting specific capability targets for each ally, is NATO's job.

Within NATO, of course, we cannot have two-winged defense planning processes. NATO allies who are also EU members cannot have two separate targets. So, there cannot be two targets at once. NATO's core capability, standards, must also be something determined by NATO. Building new barriers between NATO allies will undermine our efforts to strengthen collective defense. Because new barriers will increase prices, lower quality, and hinder creativity. Therefore, of course, I believe in a transatlantic defense industry ecosystem that also includes non-EU allies such as the UK, Canada, the US, Turkey, or Norway. NATO should be the only platform for these efforts because NATO allies who are EU members represent 20 percent of the share NATO allocates to defense spending. 80 percent of NATO's defense spending budget comes from NATO allies who are not EU members. Therefore, we need not to create barriers between them, but of course for the whole family and 100 percent of them to work together.

RELATIONS WITH ERDOĞAN

I know it is too early to give a farewell message; you are preparing NATO for the summit to be held in Washington. However, when you look back at your nearly 10-year term as Secretary General, what was the most striking part of your tenure? Is there any situation where you might remain in your post at NATO for another year?

It has been a privilege for me to serve in the most successful alliance in history during a very important period for our security, when ISIS seized a large part of Iraq and Syria, Russia invaded Ukraine, and of course, NATO proved its importance more than ever by keeping its allies together. Serving as Secretary General during such a period is very meaningful to me.

I also find the close cooperation I have established with allied leaders very valuable. I also value the friendship and cooperation I have developed with President Erdoğan over many years. He is a determined NATO ally, and I am pleased to work with him. I have had the opportunity to work with him in many different areas, including the fight against terrorism, strengthening our common defense, and supporting Ukraine.

"I AM SURE THE ALLIES WILL FIND AN EXCELLENT SUCCESSOR"

Is there any possibility of you remaining in your post at NATO for another year?

I am absolutely sure that the allies will find an excellent successor. I am responsible for many decisions at NATO, but I do not have the responsibility of choosing my successor. I am sure the allies will find a good solution.

Well, what is your message to the candidates?

I am very careful about giving a message to the candidates. Because I am not part of this process, but I am sure the allies will find a good solution.