Turkey celebrates: US paves way to get 40 new F-16 fighters it wants

Today, the Turkish newspapers are in celebratory tones after the decision of the House of Representatives of USA to completely remove from the defense equipment bill the provisions that placed restrictions on Turkey’s sale F-16. This means that the way for the supply of new fighter aircraft from the neighboring country is now unimpeded.

According to the Anadolu news agency, which reports that it has the final text of the NDAA bill, the relevant clauses that prohibited the sale of US fighter jets that had been requested by Senator Robert Menendez and Chris Pappas who support the Greek Cypriot lobby in the US have been removed. We recall that the original House text prohibited the US president from selling or authorizing the export of new F-16 aircraft or upgrade technology or modernization kits to Turkey, unless Mr. Biden provided certain certifications. Erdogan currently requires 40 new F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and modernization kits for 80 aircraft from US stockpiles.

The Anadolu Agency even claims that “the efforts in Washington of Turkish diplomats and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey were decisive for this development. With the removal of the relevant articles, the ability to impose restrictions on the F-16 market is no longer within the power of Congress.».

However, the cable adds that “members of Congress, especially Robert Menendez, who are known for their anti-Turkish positions and close to the Greek Cypriot lobby, declare that they will block the sale of F-16s to Turkey With every chance”.

Finally, note that Mr. Menendez in the previous twenty-four hours had appeared determined not to give in to any pressure to sell F-16s to Turkey. “I have no intention of agreeing,” he told ERT and described the Turkish raids in Syria as outrageous and unacceptable. “I have not received any notification, which is obviously part of the process for any arms sales. The government has not sent me any notification. So I guess there is a difference between what is said publicly and what actually happens. But what I am sure of is that whether there is a notification or not, I have no intention, under the current circumstances, to agree to F16 sales to Turkey,” he said.