Turkey warns response if US imposes sanctions for S-400 deal

Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkey will not hesitate to respond to US sanctions over Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, if the US imposes sanctions, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a television program broadcast on Monday, as top US diplomats are visiting Ankara and northeast Syria.

"[I]f the US imposes sanctions, we will send the appropriate response," Cavusoglu said on TGRT Haber. 

Cavusoglu said Ankara does not want to go that far, but if the United States "shows a hostile attitude, we will take a step."

ANALYSIS: Turkey tests US resolve with S-400 delivery, Syria border build-up 

The foreign minister, however, opined that US President Donald Trump does not truly want to implement sanctions, despite Turkey moving forward with the purchase of the S-400 against the objections of the administration of US President Donald Trump and NATO.

Washington and Brussels maintain that the Russian system is incompatible with NATO and it poses security risks to member states. 

The United States offered to sell Turkey its Patriot missile system as an alternative. Ankara has argued that it could utilize both. The United States has rejected that idea and halted the training and sales of its fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet to Turkey.


Pointing out that Trump has met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Cavusoglu said in the interview it is "not acceptable to sanction Turkey."

The Foreign Minister's comments come as James Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition is meeting in Ankara on Monday and Tuesday with senior counterparts.

"Jeffrey is leading an interagency delegation to continue discussions with senior Turkish officials to advance issues of mutual interest on Syria to include, addressing Turkey’s legitimate security concerns, the implementation of UNSCR 2254 on the resolution of the Syrian conflict, and our continued efforts to ensure an enduring defeat of ISIS," the State Department said in a statement on Sunday. 

Jeffrey is close to Trump and has taken his country’s lead on finding a diplomatic solution that satisfies the interests of Washington, Ankara, and the counter-ISIS coalition, led on the ground in northern Syria by the predominately-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Also on Monday, US Amb. William Roebuck who is Jeffrey's deputy and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of Central Command (CENTCOM), visited SDF commander-in-chief Gen. Mazlum Abdi and others in northeast Syria "to discuss developments, steps to improve relations and joint campaign against ISIS in NE Syria," according to Mustafa Bali, the head of the SDF Press Office. 

 

 

“Several important issues including proposed safe zone, future cooperation between the SDF and anti-ISIS @coalition and situation of jihadists & their families were discussed," Bali added in a tweet. 

 

The SDF declared the Islamic State (ISIS) militarily defeated east of the Euphrates on March 23 after months of fighting and a siege in Baghouz, Deir ez-Zor governorate. ISIS at its height controlled nearly one-third of Syria.

 

As cities and areas have been liberated, the coalition worked with local leaders to establish military and civil councils with the goal of providing security and stability through governance, as the Syrian regime has little to no presence in northern Syria.

 

The US-led coalition partnering with the SDF has upset Turkey. The SDF is primarily comprised of the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The YPG rejects the claim.