This Article First Appeared In The Print On Feb 10, 2023
The sixth “Operation Dost” flight has landed in Turkey, carrying emergency supplies, rescue personnel, sniffer dog squads, medicine and medical equipment, and other relief material. The devastating earthquake that inflicted huge loss of life and property has thrown normal life out of gear in both Turkey and Syria. Within hours, India responded with disaster relief material which Turkey acknowledged saying, “India was among the first countries to respond when we asked for medical assistance”. Many other countries and international institutions are yet to respond to the calamity.
Meanwhile, all the flags at the NATO Headquarters were flying at half-mast on Tuesday in solidarity with Turkey. Ironically, the tweet refers to Turkey as an ‘ally’ and not a member. Turkey became a member of NATO in 1952 at the height of the Cold War, opting to side with its friends in the West instead of then-Soviet Union. The humanitarian assistance from NATO is yet to arrive in Turkey and probably may not reach Syria.