President Erdoğan: No other country can determine the steps we are to take in defense industry

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered reporters’ questions after performing the Friday prayer at Dolmabahçe Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan Mosque in Istanbul.

In answer to a question about Greece’s proposal for the introduction of vaccine passports for travel between the EU countries, President Erdoğan said: “This is an issue that can be discussed in our view. This is an issue to be discussed particularly in terms of international diplomacy. There is no such thing as this will be introduced just because Greece says so. We need to discuss it in detail with our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED TO HAVE POSITIVE RELATIONS WITH THE EU”

Answering a question about the exploratory talks that will be held with Greece on January 25, President Erdoğan stated: “We have always worked to have positive ties and relations with the EU since 1963. Unfortunately, the EU has not fulfilled its promises to us so far. We are now in a new process. We continue our intensive bilateral talks with Charles Michel, Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, which is the EU’s term president, and Boris Johnson regarding the Eastern Mediterranean and the developments related to the EU countries.  In all of these talks, the request for a meeting with Prime Minister Mr. Mitsotakis of Greece has been an issue we have viewed positively. Our foreign minister has had talks in the meantime. We have said the exploratory talks can be started. We have said steps can be taken for talks between our special representatives as well as between me and Mr. Prime Minister.”

“WE CANNOT ASK ANYONE FOR PERMISSION BEFORE TAKING STEPS IN DEFENSE INDUSTRY”

In response to a question about the US administration’s objection to Turkey’s procurement of S-400 defense systems, President Erdoğan stated: “No other country can determine the steps we are to take in defense industry. These steps are shaped only by the decisions we take.”

Drawing attention to the ongoing process for Turkey’s acquirement of the second batch of the S-400s, President Erdoğan said: “At the end of the month, we will have talks with Russia not only about defense industry but also about many other issues, including this matter. We cannot know what the Biden administration or others will say on this issue. What we only know is that we cannot ask anyone for permission before taking steps in defense industry, not different from President Trump’s term in office.”

Turkey is a NATO member, the President further stressed. “As a NATO member, we can never allow the countries, with which we are together in NATO, to set directions for us.”

Underlining that the F-35s have not been delivered despite the significant sum of money Turkey paid, President Erdoğan said: “This is a very serious wrong of the US against Turkey, its ally, in terms of international diplomacy. I hope that after Mr. Biden takes office, we can take positive steps and address these issues following our talks.”