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Writing to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar last week, U.S.
acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan outlined how Turkey
would be pulled out of the F-35 program unless Ankara changes
course from its plans to purchase the Russian S-400 missile
defense system.
Akar, cited by his ministry in a statement, said Ankara was
working on a response to the letter and that it would be sent to
the United States in the coming days.
He added that he was set to speak with Shanahan by phone and
that they would meet in person at a NATO meeting at the end of
the month. "In the contacts we will make, whether via mail or a
meeting in person, all topics are on the table and we are
continuing to openly and clearly express... our known views.
"We will continue to maintain the same attitude and stance."
In what has become a major point of disagreement between the
NATO allies, the United States has long pushed Turkey to stop
its purchase of the Russian S-400s, saying the system would
compromise the F-35s.
Turkey has repeatedly said the purchase of the missile system
was a "done deal". Ankara has proposed that the two allies form
a working group to assess the impact but says it has yet to hear
back from Washington.
Russia said on Tuesday it plans to deliver its S-400s, which are
not compatible with NATO systems, to Turkey in July, setting the
clock ticking on a U.S. threat to hit Ankara with sanctions if
it goes ahead with the deal.
(Reporting by Daren Butler; Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing
by Humeyra Pamuk/Mark Heinrich)
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