President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with US counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday, reiterating an offer to set up a working group on Turkey's decision to buy a Russian missile defence system.
The move to buy the Russian S-400 system over America's Patriot equivalent has been a major source of tension between the NATO allies, leading to threats of US sanctions.
In his call with Trump, Erdogan reiterated the offer to form "a joint working group on Turkey's plan to procure the S-400," his office said in a statement.
The offer was first made in April but has yet to receive a response.
The two leaders agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June.
The S-400 purchase would expose Turkey to US sanctions against arms deals with Russia.
Washington says the presence of Russian missile defences in Turkey would be a threat to Western military systems and could jeopardise its involvement in the F-35 fighter jet programme, for which it provides some parts.
But Erdogan has been adamant it is a "done deal", and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said last week that Turkey had already sent personnel to Russia for training.
On a more positive note, Erdogan told Trump that he welcomed the decision to eliminate tariffs on Turkish steel, saying it would help their countries reach the goal of $75 billion (67 billion euros) in bilateral trade.
Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
| Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. |
||
| SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
 |
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
Washington says 'possible' Ankara will reject Russian missiles
Washington (AFP) May 16, 2019
The US believes it is "possible" Turkey will decide against buying a Russian air defense system whose proposed purchase has strained relations between the NATO allies, a top official said on Thursday. Washington has warned for months that Turkey's adoption of the Russian S-400 missile system would endanger Western defense and jeopardize Ankara's planned purchase of 100 of the US's F-35 stealth fighter jets. Asked on Thursday if Turkey may ultimately change its mind on the S-400, US Air Force Sec ... read more
from Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense http://bit.ly/2MwuETp
via space News
No comments: