NATO condemns the "indiscriminate bombing" of Syria and Russia and urges "respect for international law"

• Syria: Official bombings kill at least 33 Turkish soldiers in Idlib
• Migration crisis: Dozens of refugees try to enter Europe from Turkey after the Idlib crisis

NATO regrets the death of Turkish soldiers, stands in solidarity with Ankara and calls for the immediate cessation of the bombings and joint military operations of Mocó and Damascus in the province of Idlib. But, for now, little else. "The allies send their deepest condolences for the death of the soldiers in the bombings last night and express their full solidarity with Turkey. We condemn the continuous and indiscriminate bombings of Russia and Turkey and urge to stop the offensive, respect international law and support the efforts of the UN to achieve a peaceful solution . It is necessary to reduce the escalation before the situation worsens and to allow access to humanitarian aid to the trapped, "said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday .

Yesterday, after a talk with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Secretary General convened the North Atlantic Council to start "consultations", based on Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. The Council, which includes the ambassadors of the 29 allies, had to assess the situation, as any member can request an emergency meeting without considering that "their territorial integrity, their political independence or their security are threatened".

The truth is that, right now, NATO has very little room for maneuver. Beyond condemning, showing deep concern and pressing diplomatically and politically, options are limited. It is difficult not to cynically assess a seemingly vague statement, but in the military world, and within an Alliance in which unanimity is essential, the steps are slow and careful . They are governed by different codes, in remote channels and often indifferent to public assessments and in the media. They do not transmit a powerful image to public opinion, but neither is it their objective. It is something that, they consider, has worked well for decades, allowing you to keep your head cold in the hottest moments, and there is no intention to change now. Someone tempered and extremely cautious like Stoltenberg is the ideal spokesperson for something like that, despite the reproaches or mockery for the apparent lack of reaction.

"This meeting today is a clear sign of solidarity . Turkey is an ally of NATO and the most affected by the terrible conflict. It has suffered the greatest attacks and has millions of refugees. NATO continues to support many measures, including an increase of the area defenses. That will help in the face of the attacks. The Allies are looking at what else can be done, "added Stoltenberg after the match ended. "We monitor and monitor the situation very closely, Turkey informs us regularly. This meeting of the North Atlantic Council is a clear demonstration of solidarity and support for an ally."

The implications of everything that is open do not escape anyone. Turkey simultaneously pulls its military alliance and presses, without blushing, threatening to ignore the agreement it reached with the EU in 2016 to close the borders and cut the migration flow. The message to the European Union is clear: if you don't do something, I will allow the 2015 crisis to repeat itself, now that spring is coming again. And that not only caused maximum tensions in Europe, but was really close to taking Schengen ahead , the space for free movement. A good number of countries then recovered border controls, and some have not yet lifted them.

"The escalation must stop urgently. There is a risk of ending up in a major international military confrontation. It is also causing unbearable humanitarian suffering and endangering civilians. The EU calls on all parties to produce a rapid scaling and regrets the loss of life. The EU will consider all the necessary measures to protect its security interests. We are in contact with all the relevant actors, "said this morning the high representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell. Borrell will speak on the phone today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The situation is the Alliance is very delicate for months. Last December, the Heads of State and Government met on the outskirts of London in a tense Summit, following the statement a few weeks before Emmanuel Macron that NATO was "in brain death" after Turkey's unilateral decision to launch military operations in Syria.

From that clash, beyond the rhetoric, it was in doubt precisely what is now on the table: should the Atlantic Alliance respond as a block and support an armed confrontation with Ankara even if it totally disagreed with the decision to begin hostilities ? "If the Bashar Asad regime decides to respond to Turkey, what does that commit us to? That is the real question. We are committed to fighting the Islamic State. The paradox is that the American decision and the Turkish offensive have the same result: the sacrifice of our partners on the ground fighting against the Islamic State, the Syrian Democratic Forces, "the French president said in November.

Article 5, the most famous of the Treaty and which has only been invoked after 9/11 is another step, and states that an armed attack against one or more of them "shall be considered as an attack directed against all of them, and in Consequently, they agree that if such an attack occurs, each of them, in the exercise of the right of legitimate individual or collective defense recognized by article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will help the attacked Party or Parties, adopting (. .) the measures deemed necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore security, but with a very important nuance: if the attack takes place "in Europe or North America . " Something that hardly applies to Syrian territory .

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

• Turkey
• NATO
• Syria
• Islamic State
• Europe
• Russia
• European Union
• Un
• Josep Borrell
• Emmanuel Macron

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