Biden administration shouldn’t waste $20 billion defence deal and should convey to Congress NATO bids by Finland and Sweden usually are not linked with fighter jet sale to Ankara, Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu tells his US counterpart Antony Blinken.
(Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that the United States should approve a $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye,
saying the deliberate acquisition is in step with the “joint
strategic pursuits” of each Washington and Ankara.
Cavusoglu stated on Wednesday after a gathering with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the necessary factor on the sale of F-16 jets is whether or not the Biden administration will probably be decided.
The administration helps the sale however some prime members of the US Congress oppose it, and a proper notification of the sale has not but been despatched to lawmakers.
Cavusoglu stated the Biden administration shouldn’t waste the deal due to objection by some senators and also needs to convey to Congress that NATO bids by Finland and Sweden is just not linked with F-16 sale.
Blinken is internet hosting
Cavusoglu in Washington for the primary time for the reason that Biden
administration took workplace nearly two years in the past, in a go to
throughout which either side mentioned Ukraine battle, F-16 deal, NATO membership for Nordic nations, Syria, Greece, and scenario in Afghanistan.
Speaking earlier than a gathering with Blinken on the State
Department, Cavusoglu stated the F-16 deal was necessary not solely
for Türkiye however for NATO and the United States and appeared
assured that it might go forward.
“So we count on the approval in step with our joint strategic
pursuits,” he stated.
Ankara had requested F-16s and modernisation kits in October 2021.
The multi-billion greenback deal would come with the sale of 40 jets, in addition to modernisation kits for 79 warplanes that the Turkish Air Force already has in its stock.
Türkiye has been a member of NATO for over 70 years and boasts the alliance’s second-largest military.
READ MORE:
Biden admin conveys choice to US Congress on sale of F-16 jets to Türkiye
READ MORE:Türkiye needs to see ‘concrete steps’ from US on F-16 gross sales: Akar
TRT World’s Yunus Paksoy has extra on talks between prime diplomats of Türkiye and US pic.twitter.com/hRFlMTZx8q
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) January 18, 2023
Fight towards terror teams
The Turkish prime diplomat additionally voiced considerations over the scenario in Syria and stated Ankara is set to eradicate PKK/YPG and FETO terror teams.
Türkiye is able to cooperate with US to refocus on Syria but it surely has not stored a few of its earlier guarantees, he stated.
Cavusoglu reminded Blinken that Washington had promised in 2019 to maintain PKK/YPG terror group 30 km away from Türkiye-Syria border — a promise US didn’t hold.
Calling his assembly with Blinken “fruitful,” Cavusoglu stated Türkiye proposed the US to carry “Türkiye-US Strategic Mechanism” conferences no less than twice yearly.
He stated he additionally invited Blinken to go to Türkiye and attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in March.
Asked in regards to the sale of F-35 jets to Greece, the Turkish overseas minister stated the US coverage of stability between Türkiye and Greece has “deteriorated.”
Every [US] help given to Athens results in surge in provocative Greek insurance policies, Cavusoglu stated.
READ MORE: Final US defence coverage invoice removes curbs on F-16 sale to Türkiye
READ MORE:Türkiye: Process to accumulate F-16 jets from US continues
Source: Reuters
