Turkey is blocking Nato cooperation with more than 40 partner countries in a diplomatic row with Austria, it has emerged. <\/p>\n
Austria has been prevented from taking part in exercises or future operations with the alliance despite the fact it has more than 400 troops serving alongside Nato forces in Kosovo. <\/p>\n
Other partner countries such as Finland, Sweden and Ireland have also been affected by the ban, along with several former Soviet states. <\/p>\n
Austria on Tuesday accused Turkey of endangering the security interests of Europe and branded its action as irresponsible. <\/p>\n
The Turkish government is believed to be acting in retaliation for Austrian moves to block it from joining the EU. <\/p>\n
Austria is among President Recep Tayyip Erdogans most oustpoken EU critics, and has called for accession talks to be formally ended. <\/p>\n
But while it can block Turkish accession to the EU, at Nato the roles are reversed. With the second largest military in the alliance, Turkey is a full Nato member while Austria is only a partner country. <\/p>\n
I strongly condemn Turkey's course of action in Nato. It is irresponsible behaviour against Austria and strengthens my position that Turkey is very far from being part of the EU, Hans-Peter Doskozil, the Austrian defence minister, told the BBC. <\/p>\n
\"In this, Turkey is endangering the security interests of Europe. The blockade has a long-term impact on the peace missions in the Western Balkans. <\/p>\n
Turkey is understood to have been blocking cooperation with Austria and other partner countries since November last year. <\/p>\n
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\nTurkey blocks Nato partnerships in row with Austria - Telegraph.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"