Turkish Defense Minister: Russia set next June for delivering the S400 to Turkey, and Ankara is ready to introduce amendments to the technical standards of the S 400 missile defense system if the United States provided that it posed a threat
The Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that, the Russian side had set a date for delivery of the S 400 missile system to Turkey in June.
“Turkey is exposed to air and missile threats, and it is natural that it is looking for defensive systems that protect its territory and its citizens from these threats”, the Turkish Anadolu news agency quoted him as saying on the sidelines of his participation in the 37th joint annual conference of the Turkish-American Business Council and the Turkish-American Council.
“It is not right to link the issue of Turkey’s purchase of the S 400 Russian system, by participating in the program to manufacture F 35 fighter developed”.
Akar renewed his call for the formation of a committee of experts and specialists to study whether the Russian S 400 system will affect the work of F 35 fighters, indicating in this context that “the Russian system is in Syria and the Israeli F 35 fighters are going without any Problem.
In response to a question on the possibility of buying Turkey Patriot system, Akar said: “We received an offer from the US side and the conditions of Turkey are known in this regard, and there is intensive dialogue is currently underway on the possibility of a deal to buy this system”.
He explained that the relations between Turkey and the United States for decades, and that the cooperation of the two countries continues in the military and other sectors.
He pointed to the possibility of resolving the outstanding problems between Ankara and Washington through dialogue and constructive meetings.
The S 400 is likely to protect strategically important cities and headquarters in Istanbul and Ankara”, Akar told reporters during his visit to the United States. At the same time, an F 35 will be deployed at the Malatya air base.
These cities lie far apart.
If the American side proves a threat, we will make changes to the S-400 standards”.
Commenting on US demands to suspend the deal with Russia on the S 400, Akar noted that the language of threats and final warnings was unacceptable in the dialogue with Turkey.
“The contract on S 400 air defense system has nothing to do with Turkey’s participation in the F 35 program”, he said.
“There are S-400 systems deployed in Syria, F 35 In the service of its neighbor Israel, in this case, in Washington, no one expresses any concerns on this issue.
The situation is similar in the Baltic region”.
He also stressed that Ankara is still discussing with Washington the terms of the contract to supply the US Patriot air defense system.
