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 U.S. and NATO officials have said Turkish collaboration on the
system with China, which was originally awarded the tender, could
raise questions of compatibility of weaponry and of security.
The missile deal constituted normal trade cooperation, Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news
briefing.
"The relevant Chinese company's cooperation with Turkey is normal
military trade cooperation. We believe that the Turkish side will
make a decision that accords with its own interests," Hua said when
asked whether the deal was still on.
Franco-Italian Eurosam, which is owned by Franco-Italian missile
maker MBDA and France's Thales, came second in a tender last
September, losing out to China Precision Machinery Import and Export
Corp's (CPMIEC) $3.4 billion offer.
Erdogan said the disagreements were about joint production and
know-how during negotiations over the missile defense system.
The choice of CPMIEC for the project irked Western allies as the
company is under U.S. sanctions for violations of the Iran, North
Korea and Syria Non-proliferation Act.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who told a defense industry
forum last week that Russia and China were working hard to close a
weapons technology gap with the United States, was in Ankara on
Monday.
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Last month, Turkey invited firms in the tender, including Eurosam
and U.S.-listed Raytheon Co, the maker of Patriot missiles which
came in third, to extend the validity of their bids, indicating
Ankara was still considering alternative offers but stopped short of
discussing problems with the Chinese deal.
In May, Turkish officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity
that China had not met the tender's conditions.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; editing by Nick Macfie)
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