“NATO does not have any nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons belong to the member states,” NATO spokesman James Appathurai was quoted as telling a news conference in Brussels by the Anatolia news agency. NATO member Turkey is believed to host up to 90 US thermonuclear B61 nuclear weapons at the southern air base of İncirlik, all deployed during the Cold War as part of the alliance's collective defense policy. Other countries hosting these weapons are Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Until they were withdrawn in July 2008, there were also more than 110 at Lakenheath in the UK.
The US nuclear weapons were deployed in the five NATO countries in line with the alliance's concept of nuclear sharing, which involves basing nuclear weapons in the territories of non-nuclear weapon states. All five countries are recognized as non-nuclear weapon states under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1970. Critics say although the US retains full control of the weapons in peacetime, this quasi-nuclear status of non-nuclear NATO countries violates the objective of the NPT. The US and NATO argue that there is no violation because the US retains control of the weapons.
Belgium and Germany, which also host US nuclear weapons on its soil, debated the withdrawal of those weapons from their territory in their parliaments earlier this year. Those debates raise questions over what Turkey's policy will be on the fate of those weapons deployed in its territory.
Turkish officials have made no public comment on whether they would also favor the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Turkish soil, but experts say Ankara appears to be reluctant, based on its assessment of potential threats to its security. Neighboring Iran's possible attempts to acquire nuclear weapons may be one reason that could harden Turkish resolve against the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from its soil.
Although originally intended to be a deterrent against the now-defunct Soviet Union, NATO rules allow for the possible use of nuclear weapons against targets in Russia or countries in the Middle East such as Syria and Iran, critics say. Appathurai said on Thursday that possession of nuclear weapons is still a part of NATO's strategy of deterrence.
