Erdoğan says Turkey expects 'concrete support' from NATO over Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said that they wanted "concrete support" from NATO allies as his country battles threats originating from the nine-year conflict in Syria.

"We expect concrete support from all our allies to this struggle," he said alongside the NATO's chief during a visit to Brussels, adding that it was Turkey making a major sacrifice.

"Our allies should collaborate with Turkey without discrimination and with no political preconditions," Turkish leader added.
"NATO is in a critical period in which it should clearly show the alliance's solidarity [with Turkey]," Erdoğan told reporters during a press conference.
"No European country has luxury of being unconcerned about conflicts and human drama in Syria," Erdoğan said in a statement as criticizing the Western countries' attitudes towards plight of war-weary Syrians.

Turkey has fought Syrian-based threats and the terrorist group Daesh/ISIS for nearly a decade now and is the only NATO member state to see soldiers martyred, Erdoğan concluded.

STOLTENBERG CALLS TURKEY 'IMPORTANT ALLY'
"No other ally has suffered more terror attacks than Turkey. No other ally hosts more refugees than Turkey," said NATO chief Stoltenberg, praising Turkey's efforts for the region's security.
He also called Turkey an "important" ally which has "contributed to our shared security in many ways."
The military alliance has invested heavily in missile systems and military bases in Turkey in years past, and it keeps on contributing to air and naval missions in Turkey, he said.
"Allies are prepared to continue to support Turkey and explore what more to do," he said, reaffirming the bloc's commitment to partnership.
Stoltenberg also expressed his concerns over the security situation in Syria and the resulting migrant crisis.

"The Assad regime and Russia caused untold civilian suffering," he said, adding that he hopes the cease-fire in Idlib, northwestern Syria reached last week by Turkey and Syria will grow into a standing peace.
The secretary-general called migration "a common challenge" and hailed the dialogue between Turkey and the EU to find a long-term solution for the crisis.
Erdoğan and Stoltenberg's meeting lasted around one hour at the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union, amid Erdoğan's one-day working visit to Brussels at the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel.
Last month Turkey announced it would no longer stop asylum seekers from reaching Europe, complaining that the European Union had failed to keep its pledges under a 2016 deal on migrant, and warning of a refugee wave coming from Idlib.
Turkey currently hosts over 3.7 million Syrians, making it the world's top refugee-hosting country.