DOHA – Turkey has again asked the United States to sell its Patriot missilesystems and is waiting for a response, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglusaid Saturday.
“Turkey believes that the US is still our ally as we are their allies … Noone can cancel the deal with Russia to buy S-400s, it’s a done deal.Russia’s offer was more lucrative. Now we are ready to buy the US-madePatriot system and are waiting for a response,” Cavusoglu said.
Speaking at a forum in Qatar’s Doha, the top Turkish diplomat again warnedthe US that Turkey would retaliate against any sanctions it might imposeover the Russian missile deal.
The US approved the sale last December in the hope that Turkey would tearup a deal with Russia to purchase S-400linksurface-to-airmissiles. Regardless, Russian deliveries went ahead and the US said inAugust that the offer was off the table.
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The US has started unwinding Turkey from their joint program to build F-35fighters and has threatened it will not sell the jets to Ankara for fearthe technology could be compromised by the proximity to Russian techniciansservicing the S-400, which the Pentagon claims is incompatible with NATOdefences.
