CRI听力:New NATO Chief Promises to Defend Turkey  

The new head of NATO is insisting the organization will come to Turkey's aid if it is attacked.

Turkey has been under threat by Islamic State forces in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

Turkish forces have also been engaged in sporatic battles with the Syrian military as part of the lingering civil war.

Jens Stoltenberg is the new Secretary-General for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

"Our responsibility is the basic responsibility to stand up and be very clear that we're going to protect Turkey and that collective defence, that Article 5 is something which is also going to be applied if Turkey is in any way attacked. That's the reason why we have the Patriot systems deployed in Turkey, and that's the reason why I will underline that when I visit Turkey in the near future and we plan to continue to have military presence in Turkey with Patriot missiles systems,"

Meanwhile, speaking about the situation in Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg says the current ceasefire offers an opportunity for peace.

Stoltenberg has also offered an olive branch to Russia, saying he sees no contradiction between aspiring for a constructive relationship with Russia and being in favour of a strong NATO.