Anti-WMD exercise kicks off from Antalya
Turkish officials have repeatedly reiterated that the exercise is not aimed at any specific country, such as Iran
ANKARA - AP with TDN
As part of mock drills, warships and military helicopters in the Turkish Mediterranean chased a cargo ship on Friday that mock intelligence said could be transporting weapons of mass destruction.
The large military exercise was to practice intercepting weapons materials before they reach certain countries, such as Iran.
As part of the exercise, intelligence reports said the ship, which took off from the port of Antalya without permission, was carrying "smuggled materials." It was assumed they were weapons materials on their way to a hostile country.
Within minutes, warships from the United States, Turkey, France and Portugal raced toward the cargo ship, ready to engage it, as helicopters from a nearby base hovered overhead.
Observers were hosted on a Turkish naval frigate -- the TCG Barbaros -- for the exercise, which is said to be the largest so far of the Proliferation Security Initiative, or PSI, a program started in 2003 by U.S. President George W. Bush.
Turkish officials have repeatedly said the exercise, which also involves scenarios of searching vehicles carrying suspected weapons materials to an airport and a land customs gate, is not aimed at any specific country.
But despite assurances, eyes remain on Iran.
Analysts say the exercise will not only help increase preparedness for stopping illegal shipments that Iran could use in a weapons program, but the show of multinational forces cooperating in Turkey will send the message that most of the world is united against Iran possessing those weapons.
"Iran already has most of what it needs for a nuclear weapon, but it continues to try to procure foreign components that would allow it to reach that capability faster and better," said Mark Fitzpatrick, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has credited PSI with several successes already in intercepting shipments of missile and nuclear technology headed to Iran, but she did not elaborate on details.
Officials from 34 countries observed or participated in Friday's exercise either from a naval ship or by computer, and militaries are expected to cooperate to track, board, search and disable the hostile ship.
There have been more than a dozen previous PSI exercises held in other countries, though Turkey says this one will be the largest yet.
When South Korea agreed to participate in an earlier PSI exercise, North Korea, also believed to have a clandestine nuclear weapons program, called it a "war crime" and threatened all-out nuclear war.
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA - AP with TDN
As part of mock drills, warships and military helicopters in the Turkish Mediterranean chased a cargo ship on Friday that mock intelligence said could be transporting weapons of mass destruction.
The large military exercise was to practice intercepting weapons materials before they reach certain countries, such as Iran.
As part of the exercise, intelligence reports said the ship, which took off from the port of Antalya without permission, was carrying "smuggled materials." It was assumed they were weapons materials on their way to a hostile country.
Within minutes, warships from the United States, Turkey, France and Portugal raced toward the cargo ship, ready to engage it, as helicopters from a nearby base hovered overhead.
Observers were hosted on a Turkish naval frigate -- the TCG Barbaros -- for the exercise, which is said to be the largest so far of the Proliferation Security Initiative, or PSI, a program started in 2003 by U.S. President George W. Bush.
Turkish officials have repeatedly said the exercise, which also involves scenarios of searching vehicles carrying suspected weapons materials to an airport and a land customs gate, is not aimed at any specific country.
But despite assurances, eyes remain on Iran.
Analysts say the exercise will not only help increase preparedness for stopping illegal shipments that Iran could use in a weapons program, but the show of multinational forces cooperating in Turkey will send the message that most of the world is united against Iran possessing those weapons.
"Iran already has most of what it needs for a nuclear weapon, but it continues to try to procure foreign components that would allow it to reach that capability faster and better," said Mark Fitzpatrick, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has credited PSI with several successes already in intercepting shipments of missile and nuclear technology headed to Iran, but she did not elaborate on details.
Officials from 34 countries observed or participated in Friday's exercise either from a naval ship or by computer, and militaries are expected to cooperate to track, board, search and disable the hostile ship.
There have been more than a dozen previous PSI exercises held in other countries, though Turkey says this one will be the largest yet.
When South Korea agreed to participate in an earlier PSI exercise, North Korea, also believed to have a clandestine nuclear weapons program, called it a "war crime" and threatened all-out nuclear war.
Turkish Daily News
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