Menendez: Turkey unwilling to resolve issues before F-16 purchase

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Robert Menendez, has raised a number of issues that need to be addressed in order for Turkey to purchase F-16 aircraft from the US.

In statements to the Athens News Agency - Macedonian Press Agency and to Hellas Journal, Menendez noted that so far he has not seen willingness by Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to deal with these issues.

"I’ve been very clear about the F-16 as it relates to the sales to Turkey. We sell our military equipment based on standards, not just about profit, standards of those who share our values. And with Turkey, of course, we have a series of issues. From the S-400, to overflights of a neighbor NATO ally in the context of Greece, its engagement on Russia. And on a whole host of questions," Menendez said in his statement.

"Of course, it is the violation of human rights, there are more lawyers and journalists in prison in Turkish jails. And so the list is long. And so it seems to me that in order to achieve the F-16 purchase you are going to have to deal with those issues. If you are willing to deal with those issues, then there is a possibility, but so far I have not seen the willingness of President Ergodan to do that," he added.

An amendment prohibiting the sale of F-16 fighter jets or modernization kits to Turkey was accepted by the Rules Committee of the US House of Representatives yesterday.

The amendment provides that US President Joe Biden must ensure that Turkey stops overflights over the Greek islands in order to be able to proceed with the F-16 purchase.

Also, the US President cannot sell F-16 aircraft or modernization kits to the government of Turkey, or to any agency or body of Turkey, unless certain conditions are met.

The first precondition is that the sale should be in the national interests of the United States.

In that case, the President should provide a detailed description of the specific measures taken to ensure that such F-16s are not used by Turkey for repeated unauthorized territorial overflights over Greece.