Turkey's Izmir to be NATO's land forces base

BRUSSELS (A.A) - 09.06 2011 - NATO defense ministers agreed on a reform which will turn the air forces base in Turkey's western province of Izmir to land forces base.
Releasing a written statement, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday, "NATO Defence Ministers have just approved a set of important reforms. They will make NATO leaner, more flexible, and better able to deal with future challenges."
"We have agreed to streamline the agencies which run individual NATO projects, such as ground surveillance and strategic airlift. As a result, our agencies will become simpler in structure, while staying effective in their work. And we have agreed to re-shape NATO's command structure, making it more efficient, more deployable, and more compact. Some headquarters will close. Others will move or change their role. Together, these reforms will make NATO more affordable – offering even better value for our Allies' money. They will make NATO more effective – focusing on the capabilities and command systems we need," he said.
No detailed information was given regarding the NATO bases in the statement, however, diplomatic sources confirmed that Izmir air forces base would be turned into land forces base within the scope of the reforms. Accordingly, two land forces bases in Germany and Spain will be united and transferred to Izmir.