CHP requests talks over Kürecik base

ANKARA

CHP Malatya lawmaker Veli Ağbaba reacts to soldiers stationed around the Malatya base in this photo. CHP requests a discussion for radar. DHA photo

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) requested yesterday a discussion in Parliament’s General Assembly on controversies surrounding the Kürecik radar base in the eastern province of Malatya.

Turkey agreed to allow the U.S. military to install special early-warning radar at a base in the province’s Kürecik district in 2011 as part of the NATO system. The radar system became active last year. The CHP has long criticized the government over the deployment of the radar system in Kürecik, arguing that the government should seek Parliament’s approval as a number of U.S. soldiers are deployed at the base.

The CHP also claims that the radar base is aimed at protecting Israel, rather than Turkey. “An early warning radar system was installed after the [Turkish] Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy to Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding. The government did not seek Parliament’s approval, claiming that the radar was part of the NATO system. However, this radar base is obviously an American base. It is being considered for handing over to NATO as part of the European Missile Shield in the future,” the CHP said in its motion submitted to the Parliament Speaker’s Office.

The motion stated that Russia and Iran were repeatedly threatening Turkey due to the installation of the Kürecik radar system, also claiming that the recent decision to deploy Patriot missiles on the border with Syria came as part of efforts to protect the radar base. “Parliament should debate the above mentioned external threats deriving from the government’s incorrect policies,” the CHP motion said.