President Erdoğan: We Heard No Such Thing as Sanctions from Trump

* Photograph: Murat Çetinmühürdar – Osaka / AA, Presidency

Click to read the article in Turkish (1) (2) / Kurdish

President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair has made a statement for the press regarding his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.

The G20 Leaders' Summit was held in Osaka, Japan on June 28-29, 2019.

Stating that this year's summit had four main topics, Erdoğan said, "These topics were climate change, trade, refugees and migration and struggle against terrorism. We also put forward our positions on these topics and ensured that our views were reflected in the final declaration."

Referring to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in İstanbul Consulate General of Saudia Arabia in October 2018, Erdoğan indicated, "Some of the dominant powers of the world are trying to take it off the agenda. Some people are distributing considerable amount of money."

As for Donal Trump, speaking to journalists at a press conference in G20 Summit, he said on President Erdoğan, "He was going to wipe out the Kurds, who helped us with ISIS. We took out the caliphate. We have 100 percent of the caliphate. And I called him and I asked him not to do it." In his speech, Trump also addressed Turkey's purchase of S-400's from Russia.

'S-400s will be delivered in 10 days'

President and AKP Chair Erdoğan also referred to Turkey's purchase of S-400 air defense missile system from Russia in his speech and said, "We will get over this process without having any problems."

To the questions on possible U.S. sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of S-400s, Erdoğan answered, "We have heard no such thing as sanctions up until now" and announced that the delivery of S-400s will start in 10 days.

As reported by dailies Habertürk and Hürriyet, Erdoğan further indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his support for Turkey both for S-400s and F-35 fighter jets. Erdoğan stated the following about the issue:

'We will buy Patriots even if conditions are equal'

"They have come to a certain point about F-35s, it is way more important. They have given 1 billion 400 million dollars. But, you are not giving your goods. It is not good to be known like that.

"Now, we have given this money, but they are not giving our goods to us. Neither can there be such a trader, nor can there be such a customer. And I am saying it loud and clear: It points to the honesty of a person.

"Technologically speaking, one S-400 is equal to three Patriots. Nevertheless, let us first see the conditions. Even if the conditions are equal with the S-400s, we will buy Patriots."

'He didn't tell us "We will impose that sanction on you"'

Concluding his remarks, Erdoğan also addressed the possible U.S. sanctions on Turkey due to its purchase of S-400s.

"Speaking of sanctions, we have heard no such thing as 'sanctions for such and such issue' from Trump up until now", Erdoğan said and added:

"In our telephone calls and bilateral meetings with him, Mr Trump has not told us 'We will impose that sanction on you' so far.

"Regarding the S-400s, he said, 'You are right.' We have taken the issue to a further level today. And at this further level, Mr. Trump stated, 'It is injustice'.

"The upcoming process is, of course, very important. Especially some people, those from different circles, should not talk about S-400s here and there. Because, after this statement, Mr. Trump has determined its position."

Trump: I asked Erdoğan not to wipe out Kurds in Syria

On the other side, speaking to journalists at a press conference in G-20 Summit, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked, "Will Turkey face sanctions if it goes ahead with the S-400 purchases?"

Trump made the followins remarks in response:

"Okay, so Turkey is an interesting case — because there's another one, Jim, that I get along with very well, and he's a tough cookie, okay? Right? President Erdogan. He's tough, but I get along with him. And maybe that's a bad thing, but I think it's a really good thing.

"Because, frankly, he wanted to wipe out — he has a big problem with the Kurds, as everyone knows. And he had a 65,000-man army at the border, and he was going to wipe out the Kurds, who helped us with ISIS. We took out the caliphate. We have 100 percent of the caliphate.

"And I called him and I asked him not to do it. They are, I guess, natural enemies of his or Turkey's. And he hasn't done it. They were lined up to go out and wipe out the people that we just defeated the ISIS caliphate with, and I said, "You can't do that." You can't do it. And he didn't do it."

'There was nothing he could do; he already bought it'

Regarding his meeting with Erdoğan on S-400s, Trump said,

"So, anyway — so we get along great. But what happened with Turkey — and I will tell you when it's fair and when it's not fair. He wanted to buy the Patriot missile. President Obama's group said no. He kept wanting to buy it. They kept saying no, no, no. Couldn't buy it. Now, he needed it for defense. He needed it. So he then went to Russia and he bought the S-400. Made a deal to buy it because he couldn't get it. They wouldn't allow him to buy it.

"So he goes out, he goes to Russia, and makes a deal for S-400. And let's assume it's not nearly as good, but he made a deal. He paid them money — a lot of money. Put up a lot of money. And he bought it. As soon as he bought it, people went back to him, from our country and said, "Listen, we don't want you to use that system," because it's not NATO system, etc., etc. — you know all the reasons. "We don't want you to use that system. Do us a favor — we'll sell you the Patriot." He said, "It's too late. I already bought it." There was nothing he could do; he already bought it.

"In the meantime, he bought over a hundred F-35s, the greatest fighter jet in the world. It's stealth. You can't see it. It's real hard to beat something when you can't see it. But he bought over a hundred. I think he bought 116. But he bought over a hundred. A lot. And there's options for more.

"And now he wants delivery. He's paid a tremendous amount of money, up front to Lockheed — our company, our jobs, everything. And now they're saying he's using the S-400 system, which is incompatible with our system, and if you use the S-400 system, Russia and other people can gain access into the genius of the F-35." (AS/SD)