Turkey slams US language of threats over F-35 program

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey on Tuesday criticized the U.S. over threats to remove it from the F-35 program due to its purchase of the S-400 Russian air defense system.

"We remind once more that the language of threats and sanctions will never dissuade Turkey from resolutely taking steps to ensure its national security," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020, a joint defense budget prepared by the Senate and the House of Representatives released Monday, propose allocation of a $440-million fund for the Pentagon to purchase F-35 aircrafts ordered by Turkey, as part of the modernization of national defense.

"No one should doubt that necessary measures will be taken against these initiatives targeting Turkey," it added.

Underlining that the bill demonstrated the U.S. "disrespecting Turkey’s sovereign decisions," it said: "The Congress persists in adopting an irrational hostile attitude by unfairly blocking our participation to the F-35 program despite Turkey having fulfilled all its obligations."

Furthermore, attempts to lift the U.S. arms embargo on the Cyprus island in favor of the Greek Cypriot administration will have no outcome other than hampering efforts towards a settlement on the island and creating a dangerous escalation, it emphasized.