"Draft appropriation bills regarding budget allocations for U.S. federal institutions in 2020 which were approved by the U.S House of Representatives and Senate, contain negative language targeting Turkey. This is the latest outcome of the agenda pursued by Members of Congress who are bent on damaging our bilateral relations by any means," Hami Aksoy said in a statement.
In the statement, Aksoy outlined that Turkey deplores the United States’ decision to cancel deliveries of US-made F-35 fighter jets. The official stated that Ankara deplores what it called Washington's decision to use an annual budgeting process to meet short-term political goals.
"Those circles who try to unfairly block the delivery of F-35 aircraft to Turkey, while attempting to hamper efforts for a solution on the Island of Cyprus and cooperation opportunities in the Eastern Mediterranean, will realize in due time that their initiatives are actually harming the U.S.’s own interests and not serving regional peace and stability," Aksoy stated.
On Tuesday, the United States Senate passed a $738 billion defence bill for the 2020 financial year that sanctions Turkey for the purchase of the S-400s and also includes sanctions on the TurkStream gas pipeline.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that Ankara would impose countersanctions in response to Washington’s proposed measures. Turkey has already threatened to close the Incirlik airbase, currently used by the US military.
Deliveries of the Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, which caused a significant rift in relations between Turkey and the United States, began in July. This year, Turkey has already received four S-400s worth $2.5 billion.
Washington demanded that Turkey cancel any deliveries of the Russian-made systems over fears that they are incompatible with NATO security standards and might compromise the operation of US F-35 fighter jets. Turkey has insisted that it will continue to accept delivery of the S-400 systems.
