Turkey says Chinese missile deal not final
US says it expressed serious concerns over deal to Turkey
Turkey said on Monday it could still reconsider its decision to co-produce a long-range air and missile defence system with a Chinese firm currently under US sanctions, but said it felt no obligation to heed other countries’ blacklists.
Turkey’s Defence Ministry announced last week it had chosen the FD-2000 missile defence system from China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp, or CPMIEC, over rival systems from Russian, US and European firms. Turkey is a member of the NATO transatlantic military alliance.
“We do not consider anything other than Turkey’s interests,” Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc told reporters.
“It is not possible for another country to say, ‘I have a problem with them, I had put them on a black list, a red list, how could you give them a tender?’” said Arinc, who also serves as the government’s spokesman.
There is a short list and China is at the top of it
CPMIEC is under US sanctions for violations of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act, and the United States has expressed “serious concerns” over Turkey’s decision. NATO sources said collaboration with China on the system could raise questions of compatibility of weaponry and of security.