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Angela Merkel Calls For No-Fly Zone Over Syria

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has backed a controversial call by Turkey to impose a no-fly zone over northern Syria. She said it would help alleviate the refugee crisis: “In the current situation it would be helpful, if there could be such an area, where none of the parties are allowed to launch aerial attacks, that is to say, a kind of no-fly zone“ Turkish President Erdogan threatened Europe with a new migrant wave renewing calls for no-fly zone in Syria just days ago. RT reports: Echoing a long-standing call from Turkey to establish a no-fly zone over parts of Syria, Merkel stressed that while it is impossible to negotiate with terrorists from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), she said it would be helpful if the “anti-Assad coalition and the Assad-supporters … come to an agreement.” Berlin’s rhetoric, which has been aimed at appeasing Turkey for months, goes against NATO policy. The body turned down the no-fly zone proposal as late as last week. The Alliance’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg stressed that NATO will leave the issue of enforcing a potential no-fly zone over Syria to the US anti-IS coalition. Stoltenberg’s reaction last Thursday came after Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, renewed [...]