State Dept. reaffirms F-35 ban for Turkey

The State Department’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs affirmed on Wednesday that the Trump administration is fully committed to complying with US law, including the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), and emphasized that “the United States has been clear with the Turkish government about our laws and policies regarding the acquisition of Russian defense equipment and the implications this has for Turkey’s acquisition of F-35 aircraft.”

The letter was sent as a response to a recent letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio by 40 lawmakers, led by Representative Chris Pappas. In his response, Senior Bureau Official Paul D. Guaglianone emphasized that “the Trump administration is fully committed to protecting US defense and intelligence assets and complying with US law, including CAATSA.”

In their August 7 letter, Pappas and the other lawmakers urged the U.S. government to prevent Turkey from “continuing to violate US laws and policies related to US national security.” They noted that “Turkey has shown no intent to comply with US law.”

Apart from the Hellenic Caucus, the initiative to send the letter was supported by the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance, as well as Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance, as well as Greek-American, American Jewish and Armenian organizations.

The State Department’s letter reiterates that the US position regarding Turkey’s acquisition and continued possession of the Russian S-400 system has not changed. The letter also reminds readers that “the requirements for Turkey to acquire US F-35 aircraft are well-known, including those established by Section 1245 of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.”

Finally, the letter highlights the US–Turkey relationship, stating that “Turkey is a longstanding NATO ally with a history of making important contributions to alliance missions. The United States’ defense relationship with Turkey remains vital to the security interests of both the United States and NATO. The United States seeks to cooperate with Turkey on common priorities and engage in dialogue to resolve disagreements. We have expressed our disapproval of Ankara’s acquisition of the S-400 and have clearly conveyed the steps that would need to be taken in our ongoing assessment of the application of CAATSA sanctions.”

Source: https://www.newgreektv.com/news-in-english-for-greeks/u-s/item/37910-state-dept-reaffirms-f-35-ban-for-turkey