BERLIN – Turkey will formally ask NATO Monday to set up missiles on its border with Syria due to growing concern about spillover from a 20-month-old civil war in its neighbour, a German newspaper reported Saturday. The Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which did not cite its sources, also said that up to 170 German soldiers could be deployed as part of the mission. Turkey said on Friday it had intensified talks with NATO allies on how to shore up security on its 900-km frontier with Syria after mortar rounds fired from Syria landed inside its territory. “As we have said before, there have been talks between Turkey and NATO and NATO allies on various issues regarding the security risks and challenges and possible responses to issues regarding Turkey-NATO territories,” a Turkish government official said, when asked about the Sueddeutsche Zeitung report. “Normally we could not reveal the nature of NATO deliberations while they continue,” added the official. NATO has said it will do what it takes to protect and defend Turkey. Turkey has said it is talking to its NATO allies about a possible deployment of Patriot surface-to-air missiles. – Reuters
