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AFP
Ankara
Turkey on Tuesday accused the United States of not acting as an ally, in its official response to Washington’s ultimatum to Ankara to abandon a deal to buy a Russian missile defence system.
The Turkish defence ministry said in a statement that “the wording and approach” of a letter sent this month by Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan “was not in the spirit of an alliance (and) caused unease”.
The ministry said Turkey’s previously “known” opinions on acquiring the Russian S-400 missile defence system had been shared in a detailed manner, without offering further information.
Shanahan’s letter warned Ankara that it has until July 31 to renounce the S-400 purchase, or it would not be allowed to purchase around 100 cutting-edge F-35 fighter jets.
Turkey has been associated with the project almost since the beginning, with the state-owned Turkish Aerospace making part of the plane’s fuselage.
Turkish pilots would also be booted from training programmes on the newest US combat plane, and Washington has warned that Turkey will face economic sanctions if it goes through with the deal.
Ankara’s push to buy the missile defence system from Moscow has caused significant tension between the NATO allies, whose ties are already strained by multiple issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Turkey.
Despite US concerns over the S-400 system’s interoperability with NATO equipment, Turkey has repeatedly said it will not back away from the deal.
The defence ministry statement stressed the importance of “continued dialogue based on mutual respect and friendship, and efforts to find an appropriate solution to the issues”.
Ankara
Turkey on Tuesday accused the United States of not acting as an ally, in its official response to Washington’s ultimatum to Ankara to abandon a deal to buy a Russian missile defence system.
The Turkish defence ministry said in a statement that “the wording and approach” of a letter sent this month by Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan “was not in the spirit of an alliance (and) caused unease”.
The ministry said Turkey’s previously “known” opinions on acquiring the Russian S-400 missile defence system had been shared in a detailed manner, without offering further information.
Shanahan’s letter warned Ankara that it has until July 31 to renounce the S-400 purchase, or it would not be allowed to purchase around 100 cutting-edge F-35 fighter jets.
Turkey has been associated with the project almost since the beginning, with the state-owned Turkish Aerospace making part of the plane’s fuselage.
Turkish pilots would also be booted from training programmes on the newest US combat plane, and Washington has warned that Turkey will face economic sanctions if it goes through with the deal.
Ankara’s push to buy the missile defence system from Moscow has caused significant tension between the NATO allies, whose ties are already strained by multiple issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Turkey.
Despite US concerns over the S-400 system’s interoperability with NATO equipment, Turkey has repeatedly said it will not back away from the deal.
The defence ministry statement stressed the importance of “continued dialogue based on mutual respect and friendship, and efforts to find an appropriate solution to the issues”.
