US not pressing Turkey over NATO missile shield: Gates

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday said the United States has not pressured Turkey to take part in a NATO missile defense system, but expressed hope Ankara would endorse plans for the anti-missile shield.

Gates said US and Turkish officials have discussed the possibility of Turkey actively participating in the proposed missile defense system directed against Iran.

"The US has engaged Turkey in political and military dialogue on its potential technical and operational contributions should NATO adopt this approach," Gates said in a speech to the American-Turkish Council in Washington.

"Contrary to some press reports, we are not pressuring Turkey to make a contribution," said Gates, according to a text of the speech released by the Pentagon.

The plan is expected to be endorsed at a NATO summit on November 19-20 in Lisbon. Gates said: "we do look to Turkey to support NATO's adoption at the Lisbon summit of a territorial missile defense capability."

Turkey faces a difficult decision on the missile shield, which will be viewed as a test of its commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Washington portrays the missile defense system as a safeguard against a possible ballistic missile strike from Iran, but Turkey worries that joining the shield could damage relations with its neighbor.

Ankara is also anxious to avoid angering Russia, which strongly opposes the missile defense plan.

At a NATO conference of defense and foreign ministers last week in Brussels, US and Turkish officials discussed the issue but Ankara has yet to declare its decision.