Canada Cancels Defense Export Permits to Turkey Over Conflict

(Bloomberg) -- Canada is halting defense exports to Turkey over the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Justin Trudeau’s top diplomat said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau announced Monday that Canada will no longer sell military goods and technology to its North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally. The decision comes after a review of allegations Canadian-made military technology was used by Azerbaijan in the Nargorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.

“Following this review, which found credible evidence that Canadian technology exported to Turkey was used in Nagorno-Karabakh, today I am announcing the cancellation of permits that were suspended in the fall of 2020,” Garneau said in an emailed statement. “This use was not consistent with Canadian foreign policy, nor end-use assurances given by Turkey.”

Trudeau’s government temporarily halted exports to Turkey in October. Garneau added that he spoke to his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, about establishing a mechanism to discuss future defense cooperation between the two countries.

The Turkish foreign minister “voiced discomfort about Canada’s position on defense industry export limits to Turkey,” according to an earlier report from Demiroren News Agency.

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