WASHINGTON- The United States has reportedly warned Turkey against theconsequences of its decision to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile batteriesfrom Russia, saying Washington could slap Ankara with sanctions over such apurchase.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an American official expressed concernsover Turkey’s plan to buy the Russian S-400 missile system, saying thepurchase would potentially expose Turkey to a new sanctions law recentlypassed by Congress, according to the Turkish daily Haberturk.
Moscow and Ankara finalized an agreement on the delivery of the S-400surface-to-air missile systems on December 2017. The deal has drawnconcerns among some of Turkey’s NATO allies who claim the missile batteriesare not compatible with those of the military alliance.
The US official further said that the potential acquisition of the missilesystems would “negatively influence the interoperability of NATO,” theUS-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization to which Turkey is a member.
The official also said that Washington was seeking to “help Turkey find abetter alternative to meet its air defense needs.”
Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke outagainst the language of threats regarding its purchase of the S-400 systems.
“We do not use and will not accept the language of threats. Yes, the USCongress adopted a law [on anti-Russia sanctions]. But we need to ensureour national security. We would like to purchase the means to ensure itfrom our allies,” Cavusoglu said during a press conference with hisAmerican counterpart Rex Tillerson on February 16.
The US State Department has previously threatened to apply “appropriatemeasures” against countries willing to purchase advanced weaponry,particularly the S-400 missile defense systems.link->
On August 2, 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law the CounteringAmerica’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) that imposed sanctionson Iran, Russia and North Korea.
The latest threat of sanctions come amid tense relations between the US andTurkey over Washington’s support for the Kurdish militants in northernSyria. Ankara views those militants as terrorists linked with the homegrownKurdistan Workers’ Party, which has been fighting for autonomy.
Ankara launched a military campaign against US-backed Kurdish militants onSyrian soil after the US said it would set up a 30,000-strong militantforce at Turkey’s doorstep.