Erdogan's AK Party:

US Crossing Line with Remarks on Turkey's S-400 Purchase

TEHRAN (defapress)- The United States is crossing the line over comments regarding Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, Omer Celik, a spokesman for the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party, warned.

News ID: 76127

Date: 11 March 2019 - 16:00

During a news conference, Celik said that Ankara decided to proceed with the acquisition of the Russian-made defense system after Washington failed to respond to Turkey’s request for the Patriot missile system amid the Syrian crisis, Sputnik reported.

“NATO allies should have supported Turkey, whose air space became vulnerable”, Celik stated, adding that the country was left with no other choice but to buy the S-400s.

At the same time, he emphasised that the US did not oppose the purchase of Russian-made missile systems by other NATO members in the past.

“Why do they accept Greece having the S-300 system?” Celik added, pointing out the double standard used against Turkey.

On Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey's purchase of S-400 missile defense system from Russia has "nothing to do" with NATO, F-35 fighter jets or security of the US.

"Everyone knows that this issue has nothing to do with neither NATO and F-35 project nor the security of the US," Erdogan told a meeting of Turkey Youth Foundation (TUGVA) in the Southeastern Diyarbakir province, Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdogan said Turkey is facing pressure against buying S-400 air defense system, adding that "the issue is not about S-400. It is because Turkey takes action with its own will regarding the regional developments, particularly Syria".

"It is clear why Turkey is buying this air defense system and how will it use it," he stressed, stating that this issue will be solved through logic and common sense.

After protracted efforts to purchase air defense systems from the US with no success, Ankara decided in 2017 to buy Russian S-400 air defense systems. The move was criticized by the Pentagon, which warned that purchasing the S-400 would hurt Turkish-US relations and Turkey's role in NATO.

Ankara is also planning to purchase 100 F-35 warplanes from Washington pending congressional approval, and its pilots are currently training on the weapons platform at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

Turkey’s military relationship with the United States will face serious consequences if Ankara takes possession of the Russian S-400 air defense system, Defense Department Spokesperson Charlie Summers told reporters on Friday.

"If Turkey takes the S-400, there would be grave consequence in terms of our military relationship, and the Patriots and the F-35s," Summers was quoted as saying by Defense News.

"They will not get the F-35s if they take the S-400," he warned.

Summers stressed that the United States may also block Ankara from purchasing Patriot missile systems.

The comments came after the top US general in Europe stated on Tuesday that he would recommend that the United States not sell Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 jets to its NATO ally Turkey if Ankara does not drop its plans to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems from Russia.

"My best military advice would be that we don't then follow through with the F-35, flying it or working with an ally that's working with Russian systems, particularly air defense systems, with what I would say is probably one of most advanced technological capabilities," US Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, the head of US forces in Europe, said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

US State Department has also announced that Washington has made clear to Turkey that if it proceeds with the purchase of S-400, Washington will have to reassess Ankara's participation in the F-35 fighter jet program.

On Thursday, Erdogan reaffirmed that the deal with Russia on deliveries of the S-400 air defence systems was completed, and said a new deal on purchases of advanced Russian-made S-500 systems could be possible in future.

In January, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed that Ankara was ready to consider the US proposal on deliveries of the Patriot air defence systems, but refused to abandon the S-400 missile systems deal with Russia as a potential precondition for the Ankara-Washington agreement.

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