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Turkey PM criticises US bill to block sale of F-35 jets

June 19, 2018 at 9:08 am

Two US-made Israeli F-35 fly in formation, displaying the US and Israeli flags on 6 December 2016 [U.S. Air Force/Wikipedia]

The US Senate’s decision to pass a bill prohibiting the sale of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jets to Turkey is unfortunate and against the spirit of strategic partnership, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today.

The US Senate passed a $716 billion defence policy bill yesterday, backing President Donald Trump’s call for a bigger, stronger military, which includes an amendment prohibiting sales of the jets to Turkey.

Yildirim was also quoted by broadcaster Haberturk as saying that Turkey was not without alternatives and that the bill would not make Turkey vulnerable.

Relations between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues in recent months, including US backing of Kurdish militias in Syria, deemed terrorist organisations by Turkey, and a number of legal cases against Turkish and US nationals being held in the two countries.

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