Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Jeanine_Hennis-Plasschaert_2015_(1)
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (Photo: Rijksoverheid.nl/Wikimedia Commons) - Credit: Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (Photo: Rijksoverheid.nl/Wikimedia Commons)
Politics
Aegan Sea
asylum seekers
Germany
Greece
human trafficking
increased surveillance
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
Ministry of Defense
NATO
NATO maritime deployment
refugee crisis
refugees
Turkey
Wednesday, 10 February 2016 - 11:07
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Defense Min. backs NATO in Turkey to aid asylum crisis

Update, 3:00 p.m., 10 February 2016: This article was updated with comments from the NATO Secretary General, and a correction to clearly state that a NATO deployment is being discussed, but no decision has been made. Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert supports Germany and Turkey's plan to use NATO against human traffickers in the Aegan Sea near Greece and Turkey. According to her, the asylum crisis is too large to worry about taboos on possible solutions. "That means we have to look at all options. Even if it is maritime deployment within NATO context", she said in parliament, according to broadcaster NOS. A proposed NATO deployment could involve surveillance at sea, better control of the asylum seekers flow and dismantling criminal networks behind human trafficking, the minister said. The details of the plan have not yet been announced. The NATO countries Defense Ministers will discuss it in Brussels on Thursday. U.S. President Barack Obama is said to be open to working with NATO allies to find a solution to the crisis, according to Reuters. “We will discuss that during our meeting today and tomorrow. It is too early to conclude because I think it is important that we have this discussion among Defense ministers," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stotenburg said on Wednesday morning. "We all understand the concern and we all see the human tragedy and all the challenges which are connected to the migrant and the refugee crisis, which we have seen for many years in the Middle East but which has now become a great challenge for Europe." He went on to say that any requests from Allies wanting help from NATO to manage the migrant crisis will be diligently reviewed and discussed. Hennis hopes that a NATO deployment will happen as close to the Turkish coast as possible. "But that is a wish, we have to see if it is possible", she said to the broadcaster.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Passengers will qualify for compensation as Amsterdam trains now running according to schedule
  • Summer is coming: Thermometers could hit 30 degrees Celsius this weekend
  • Dutch vacationers warned of changing traffic rules, stricter fines in some EU countries
  • NL-Alert tested at noon; 9 in 10 Netherlands residents received test message
  • New push to give asylum seekers quicker, more access to Dutch labor market
  • Many Netherlands residents fear disaster, few prepare for it

Top stories

  • Trains expected to run from 9 a.m. around Amsterdam, Utrecht & The Hague
  • Most Dutch businesses facing higher costs they can’t pass on despite rising debt levels
  • Woman possibly abducted in Houten; Police looking for witnesses
  • Amsterdam train traffic still halted as outage continues; Cause still unknown
  • All train traffic halted to and from Amsterdam Central Station due to malfunction
  • Amsterdam apartment building uninhabitable after major fire

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content