WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2020) The possible US sanctions against Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system would create disturbing conditions and negatively impact bilateral ties, head of the Turkish delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Berat Conkar, said.
"We can make sure that these S-400 systems will not pose any threat to F-35 [jets] or any other NATO systems. Turkey is very sensitive about its NATO responsibilities it has and I can make sure this will continue this way. However, if the sanctions really go through, I am afraid that that may be a game changer," Conkar saud. "Among NATO allies, sanctions - even the pronouncement of this kind of sanctions - may create very disturbing conditions and may affect the Turkish-American bilateral relationship in a negative way when Turkey and the United States really need each other very much in the current global conditions."
US lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday on a defense spending bill. Congress will require the US Federal government to impose sanctions on each individual involved in Turkey's acquisition of the S-400 system within 30 days after the new defense spending bill is signed into law.
The legislation also includes a provision that would authorize US Air Force Secretary to use the six Turkish F-35A aircraft that were never delivered to Ankara because Turkey was suspended from the F-35 program.
Conkar said Turkey is as careful as the United States in terms of protecting the security of the NATO assets, including the F-35 jets, and is ready to establish a committee in the alliance to ensure the S-400 will be standalone systems.
"We had to make this purchase just because we were not able to purchase this from our allies," Conkar added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that Ankara was ready to buy US Patriot systems under the condition of technology transfer to Turkey, but adding that the issue of abandoning the S-400 systems was out of the question.
