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US to lose neutrality if OKs Greece's F35s, rejects Türkiye's F16s: Kalin

US's preconditional approach to Türkiye and Greece will not be acceptable, says the presidential spokesperson.

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Ankara maintains the jets would strengthen not only Türkiye but also NATO.

The US will lose its "neutrality" in NATO if the Congress approves the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Greece and opposes Türkiye's F-16 purchase, the Turkish presidential spokesman has said.

"We've been hearing about the F-16 programme that the Congress will introduce such a prerequisite. Such rumours or evaluations are made. We have been informed that there is no such request or desire of the administration. This is our assessment.

"If some senators, such as (Bob) Menendez, bring this as a precondition in the Congress, but simultaneously respond positively to Greece's F-35 request, they will clearly lose their neutral position within the NATO alliance. If they make this a prerequisite, it will never be acceptable for Türkiye," Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in the nation’s capital, Ankara on Tuesday.

If Congress makes the F-16 programme dependent on Türkiye's ratification of Sweden and Finland's NATO membership, Kalin said: "It is out of the question for us to take a step back in that direction. These are separate processes."

Türkiye made a request to Washington in 2021 for 40 F-16 jets and modernisation kits. The State Department informally notified Congress of the potential sale.

Ankara maintains that the jets would strengthen not only Türkiye but also NATO.

"We see the F-16 programme as a valuable alternative both for our own air forces and to strengthen our air force within the NATO Alliance, but the American administration or Congress, in other words, puts forward some preconditions in this regard, like saying 'this won't happen if you don't do it like that and so on,' we will go our own way. I mean, we're not in the mood to sit here with our hands tied," said Kalin.

Asked if the F-16 programme is finished, Kalin said: "Depends on what condition they put in. We don't want it to end. We want this program to continue.

"We know that the intention and desire of the (Joe) Biden administration is in this direction, but if they cannot overcome the congressional obstacle or if this issue gets stuck in the Congress, then we will look at the situation and make a new assessment."

Finland, Sweden NATO bids

Turning to Finland and Sweden's NATO bids, Kalin said Türkiye has clearly stated that the membership process would not progress unless terror elements are eliminated.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO last May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia's aggression on Ukraine, which started Feb. 24, 2022.

But Türkiye, a NATO member for more than 70 years, voiced objections, accusing the two countries of tolerating and even supporting terror groups including the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind July 15, 2016, coup attempt in Türkiye.

Last June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at a NATO summit to address Ankara's legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance.

Sweden and Finland agreed not to provide support to the YPG/PYD/PKK and FETO, to prevent all activities of the terror groups, extradite terror suspects, introduce new legislation to punish terror crimes and not to implement national arms embargoes among the three countries.

About Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greenlight to Finland's membership, Kalin said Sweden and Finland started the process together and showed a will to continue together, which Türkiye respects.

SOURCE: AA