US puts sanctions in Turkey above Russian S-400 missile system
15 December, 2020
The US government imposed sanctions on Turkey over the acquisition and testing of the S-400 Russian defence missile system, further straining relations between your two Nato members.
The STATE DEPT. announced the sanctions beneath the Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act, approved by Congress in 2017.
It is designed to penalise any significant transactions with Russia. The approximated expense of the S-400 missile system is $2.5 billion.
Despite pressure from Congress, the Trump administration delayed sanctions over Ankara, even following the nation installed the Russian system on July 2019 and started testing it on October.
"Today’s action sends a apparent signal that the US will fully implement Caatsa Section 231 and can not tolerate significant transactions with Russia’s defence and intelligence sectors," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
Mr Pompeo said Turkey "knowingly [engaged] found in a significant deal with Rosoboronexport, Russia’s key hands export entity, by procuring the S-400 surface-to-air missile system".
The sanctions add a ban on all US export licences and authorisations to Turkey's Presidency of Defence Industries, Ankara's armed service procurement agency, and a secured asset freeze and visa restrictions on Ismail Demir, its president, and additional officers.
Christopher Ford, assistant secretary of state for foreign security, said the sanctions barred the Presidency of Defence Sectors from obtaining US export licences.
Mr Ford said they prohibited it from acquiring US loans of more than $10 million, banned the help of the Export-Import Lender of the US and required Washington to employ its influence with overseas finance institutions to block loans to the company.
“I would in no way underestimate the importance of reducing off the main army procurement entity of a good military ally from things coming from the US defence professional base,” he said.
Congress passed the ultimate version of the US annual defence bill on Friday, which included a provision requiring the president to sanction Turkey over the S-400 sale.
Although President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the bill after Congress’ refusal to add unrelated language repealing liability protection for interpersonal media companies, the Senate and the home passed it with veto-proof majorities.
The defence bill stipulates that the president can take away the sanctions if Turkey relinquishes the Russian missile system.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won't be shifted the S-400 concern, saying in Friday that US sanctions will be “disrespectful”.
Turkey on Mon condemned the imposition of long-anticipated US sanctions.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry stated Turkey would take “the necessary steps” in response, adding that the sanctions would “inevitably negatively affect” relations with the US.
This past year, Mr Erdogan raised the likelihood of closing Incirlik air base in southern Turkey on response to possible sanctions.
Incirlik has hosted US aircraft because the 1950s and is employed to fly missions into Syria and Iraq. In addition, it houses nuclear warheads.
The US also has a radar basic at Kurecik in Malatya, eastern Turkey, and another air basic in the western province of Izmir.
The ministry said Turkey had proposed establishing a Nato working group to address its make use of the Russian-built defence system within an “objective and realistic ground, clear of political prejudices”.
The EU also imposed narrow sanctions on Turkey over its energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean amid growing tension with Greece and Cyprus caused by Ankara’s drilling and military presence off the coast of the disputed island.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com