Turkey Vows to Work With ‘Other Nations’ in Response to U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- Turkey will develop its own defense industry in cooperation with other nations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement Tuesday as he responded to U.S. sanctions on the country’s arms sector.

U.S. Sanctions Turkey’s Arms Industry, Spares Banks, Economy (2)

“With or without sanctions, Turkey will continue to protect its national interests, develop its own defense industry and work with other nations as a sovereign country,” Kalin said in a statement in response to U.S. sanctions over Turkey’s acquisition of a Russian missile-defense system.

Below are excerpts from Kalin’s statement.

• Despite the narrow and hostile agenda of some circles in the U.S. against Turkey, we believe that this issue can be resolved through political negotiations and technical expertise
• Denying Turkey its rightly earned technological capabilities won’t contribute to Turkey-U.S. relations
• Sanctions won’t change Turkey’s resolve to develop its own defense industry capacities and diversify its sources

Story Link: Turkey Vows to Work With ‘Other Nations’ in Response to U.S.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.