US seeks to “ensure what Turkey needs to take" on defense
The United States seeks to ensure that Turkey has the defensive capabilities that it needs, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said, commenting on the removal of certain provisions from the final text of the US defense spending bill over the sale of F-16s to Ankara.
“Turkey has suffered more terrorist attacks on its soil than any other NATO Ally. So, of course, we are – we seek to ensure that Turkey has the defensive capabilities that it needs – what it needs to continue to serve as its role as an important NATO Ally,” Price said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“We want to ensure that our defense capabilities are integrated and that Turkey has what it needs to take on the formidable threats that it faces,” he said.
The US on Tuesday has removed the conditions from the final text of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which were adopted by the House of Representatives to restrain the sale of the weaponry to Turkey. The US House of Representatives in July adopted an amendment to the NDAA to restrict the ability of Washington to sell F-16 fighter jets to Ankara, unless the Biden administration “certifies that doing so is essential to US national security” and so long as Turkey does not make unauthorized overflights of Greece with the new planes.
“Turkey is an important NATO Ally. It’s an important security partner,” Price said, adding the cooperation in the security realm between the two countries is of paramount importance to Washington.
Last year, Turkey made an official request to buy 40 F-16s and some 80 modernization kits for its existing fleet, after Washington excluded it from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense missiles in 2019.
While the President Joe Biden said the US administration supports the sale of the aircraft to Ankara, a possible deal needs approval from the Congress.
“It’s been a discussion that we’ve had with Congress, and of course, we have an ongoing dialogue with Congress on this very issue,” Price said in response to a question regarding a top Senator Bob Menendez’s recent statement reiterating his opposition to the sale of F-16s to Turkey,
Menendez, the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee Chairman on Wednesday said the NDAA was not a win for Turkey.
“Contrary to some claims, the NDAA is not a win for Turkey. This is just one of many tools we have at our disposal in the Senate to deal with arms sales. I’ll say it again. As SFRC Chairman, I will NOT approve F-16s for Turkey until [Turkish President] Erdogan halts his abuses across the region,” Menendez said.
Contrary to some claims, the #NDAA is not a win for #Turkey. This is just one of many tools we have at our disposal in the Senate to deal with arms sales.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SFRCdems) December 7, 2022
I'll say it again.
As #SFRC Chairman, I will NOT approve F-16s for Turkey until Erdogan halts his abuses across the region. https://t.co/TmYCwsCap9
In his role as the committee chair, Menendez has the power to prevent the F-16 deal.
