Turkish Islamist President attacked Senator Menendez: He is trying to dismiss his warning over F-16 sale to Turkey
File photo: Chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez. EPA, Drew Angerer, POOL
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Turkish Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday dismissed a warning by US Senator Robert Menendez, also chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to block the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey unless Ankara halts its campaign of aggression across the region.
Erdogan said that the Democrat from New Jersey was only expressing his personal opinion and not the consensus in Washington.
Speaking to reporters on a return flight from Azerbaijan, Erdogan said that “Menendez’s objection alone cannot stop” the sale of the Lockheed Martin-made jets. He said that the final decision lies with Congress, describing the current mood as “positive.”
Erdogan said that his government was prepared to consider other options if the US is unable to fulfil its promise to provide the F-16 aircraft.
“America is not our only option. When the need arises, we also discuss alternatives outside the US, just like we did the S-400s,” he said of the air defense system purchased from Russia.
“In addition, their relations with Greece are also the subject of a separate study. Why are they so biased about this?” he added.
Erdoğan said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg had also stressed that the sale would also be important for the alliance as well.
“The opposition of Menendez alone does not prevent this,” he underlined.
Erdoğan recalled his meeting with two U.S. senators, Lindsey Graham and Chris Coons, on the sidelines of his trip to New York last month. He said he received “positive” feedback from the senators on their potential support for the sale of F-16s.
Ankara has vowed it may consider alternatives, including Russia, if the United States fails to follow through on its promise to deliver F-16s to Turkish air forces.
Türkiye has been seeking to modernize its air fleet and sought to buy 40 F-16 jets and nearly 80 modernization kits from the U.S. Biden has said he supports the sale and that he would work to convince lawmakers to deliver the F-16 jets for Türkiye’s air force.
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