Dutch foreign minister silent on Turkey Patriot missile plans

Foreign minister Frans Timmermans on Wednesday declined to comment on speculation that the Netherlands will send its Patriot defence missiles to the Turkish-Syrian border.


Pressed by MPs about the reports, Timmermans said it is too early to comment and that no request for help has yet been received from Turkey. ‘We must not improvise. There has been no request and I have nothing to report,’ Timmermans said.
On Monday, the Volkskrant said the Netherlands and Germany are considering sending soldiers and Patriot air defence missiles to the Turkish border with Syria. The aim would be to protect Nato ally Turkey from Syrian aircraft and missiles and the Ankara government is expected to formally request deployment later this week, the paper said.
A majority of MPs are positive about the idea of sending the Patriots, news agency ANP said.
Nato ambassadors are due to meet later on Wednesday to discuss the crisis.
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