Foreign minister: Turkey may buy Patriot missiles if allowed by US Congress

Photo: AA/File

Turkey's purchase of the S-400 air defense system from Russia is a done deal but it may also buy Patriot missiles from the US, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said.

"So far, they have imposed sanctions, tried different methods in the S-400 issue. We have always made offers in favor of dialogue," Çavuşoğlu told NTV yesterday (September 8), adding that the US should accept the situation.

"If the US can sell [us the Patriots], if we can agree on price and other issues, and most importantly, if they can pass this through the Congress, we can buy it even if it's more expensive," he remarked.

Turkey needs air defense systems and will be open to purchase any system until it produces one, added the minister.

Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said "we have no hesitations" about purchasing a second package of the systems from Russia.

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Ankara signed the S-400 agreement with Moscow in April 2017 and received the first batch of equipment in July 2019. It hasn't activated the systems yet.

In response to its procurement of the missile system, the US removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter program in July 2019 and excluded Turkey-based production partners from a new deal signed in April. 

"Normalization" with Egypt and UAE

Çavuşoğlu also talked about Turkey's recent diplomatic efforts to normalize the relations with Egypt and the UAE, saying that Turkey never took any negative steps against any country.

The reason for the tension between the two countries derives from the UAE side, the minister asserted. Turkey's pro-government media has long accused the UAE of supporting the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

No negative developments have occurred on the bilateral level with the UAE, Çavuşoğlu added and noted that recently some positive steps have been taken and the normalization of bilateral relations is possible.

Negotiations with Saudi Arabia are also underway and the normalization is on the table as long as the countries take mutual steps, he said. "I believe our relations will continue to be on track."

On the talks with Egypt, Çavuşoğlu said concrete steps, a maritime agreement, and reciprocal appointment of ambassadors are necessary for the relations to be on track again.

Turkey's offer to the EU for holding a Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean still stands for regional countries to reach a mutual agreement, he also noted, saying any agreement excluding his country is "invalid," and Turkey will respond properly in case of any adversity.

"We would like to look to the future in our relations with Egypt," Çavuşoğlu noted, adding: "International relations do not speak of permanent fellowship or hostility." (VK)