Lahue: I consider Turkey`s withdrawal from NATO to be improbable

ArmInfo.Turkey is an important partner to NATO. Head of the NATO Office in Georgia William Lahue expressed such  an opinion during the "NATO as a stabilizing force in the South  Caucasus: today's challenges and progress in the region" seminar.

According to him, Turkey has the second, by size, Army in the  Alliance after USA, ensures reliable protection of southern borders  of the Alliance and is practically the "Southern Gates" of NATO.

At the same time he noted that Turkey tried to demonstrate its  independence not once. "recently Ankara was discussing the  possibility of purchasing Chinese Air Defense means. However turkey  has a agreement with NATO on unified Air Defense system, and  therefore, if they purchase the weapons and implement them in the  system it will be a threat to all the system as it will be vulnerable  to Chinese hackers. And all the NATO members were against it", Lahue  said.  

At the same time he agreed with the statement that Turkey  periodically threat the sovereignty of its neighbours, however the  Alliance can do nothing. "In such cases the NATO can do nothing,  however separate members may put pressure, for example, United  Kingdom or Germany or France", Lahue said. He considers Turkey`s  withdrawal from NATO to be improbable.

He also admitted that USA has a serious influence in Alliance  considering its scale and possibilities. "But the other states have  as well, as all the states are equal in the organization despite  their scales and decisions within NATO are made in the basis of  consensus."