4 November 2015, 18:43 GMT
MUNICH (Sputnik) – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recognizes its lack of resources to handle the European refugee crisis, Russian envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said Friday.
"NATO understands that the organization does not have sufficient resources and tools that would allow it to play any significant independent role in solving the refugee problems," Grushko told reporters at the 52nd Munich Security Conference.
That is partly why the military alliance is actively searching partners to collaborate with in resolving Western European migratory issues, the Russian envoy said.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Thursday plans to deploy Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft in the Aegean to combat migrant trafficking into Europe. Its standing maritime group deployed in the region would be tasked with reconnaissance, monitoring and surveillance of illegal crossings from Turkey, Stoltenberg said.
On Friday, he added that the military bloc would step up monitoring and surveillance along the Turkish-Syrian border to assist Ankara in managing the refugee crisis.
