Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu dismissed Sunday Russian and Iranian concerns that possible deployment of NATO missiles along Turkey's southern border with Syria would make the crisis more complicated, Anadolu Agency reported.
"We cannot see any point that would justify these concerns. The missile system has a defensive purpose only. This system will not be operational unless there is a risk to our security. And it is our government's obligation to take any measure when there is even the slightest chance of risk," Davutoglu told a televised interview on private news channel CNN Turk.
Turkey last Wednesday placed a formal request to NATO for the deployment of Patriot missiles along the Syrian border which saw an escalation of tensions between the two neighbors after a stray Syrian shell had landed in Turkey, killing five people.
The United States, Germany and The Netherlands are the only NATO members to have Patriot missiles in their arsenals.
"When the risk against our borders is alleviated Patriots will leave our country," Davutoglu said.
During the Iraq wars of 1991 and 2003, NATO deployed Patriot missiles in Turkey but they were never used.
A team technical team from NATO was expected to visit Turkey on Monday to conduct a site-survey for the possible deployment of the missiles.
Davutoglu rejected answering a question on how many Patriot batteries would be deployed in Turkey, saying, "we are working on a solution that would meet Turkey's security needs while taking into account the capacity in NATO."