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TURKISH, US PRESIDENTS CAN'T MAKE PROGRESS ON SALE OF DRONES
Today's Zaman
May 21 2012
Turkey
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his US counterpart, Barack Obama,
met in Chicago on Monday on the sidelines of a NATO Summit, but failed
to make any progress on the sale of armed drones.
Turkey seeks to buy armed drones from the United States, but the
request has been controversial, with some in the US Congress refusing
to agree to a sale of aircraft to Turkey given Ankara's deteriorating
relations with Israel, a close US ally. The US administration, on
the other hand, is reportedly willing to sell the drones to Turkey
and is trying to persuade Congress not to block the sale.
Gul reportedly told Obama during the meeting that Turkey expects the
US to meet its needs in its struggle against terrorism. Diplomatic
sources added that Gul stated that the two leaders could not make
any progress on the sale of American drones to Turkey.
The sources also said Obama told Gul he understands Turkey's need for
the sale of the drones and that it is also on his administration's
agenda, but that "this is not something I can deal with alone. "There
is Congress," Obama reportedly told Gul, referring to the high
possibility that Congress will block the sale.
Gul also told Obama that addressing Turkey's needs in its struggle
against terrorism will contribute to the consolidation of US relations
with Turkey. Obama replied that he absolutely agrees with President
Gul's assessment.
Debate over the planned sale has heated up lately after a US report
claimed that American drones providing intelligence on the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) across the Turkish-Iraqi border provided the first
intelligence to Turkish officials about a group of Kurdish villagers
who were smuggling goods from Iraq into Turkey. The US drones,
according to a news report published in the Wall Street Journal,
alerted Turkish authorities to the group's presence. The villagers
were assumed to be PKK terrorists and attacked by Turkish warplanes,
leaving 34 civilians dead.
Gul told a group of journalists ahead of his talks that the proposed
sale is to come up at the meeting. He argued that if the sale of drones
is a sensitive issue, that should be the same for F-35 jet fighters,
which are even "more dangerous" weapons than the drones. The US has
decided to share F-35 technology with Turkey.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz,
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu and Turkish
Ambassador to the United States Namık Tan accompanied the Turkish
president.
In a 30-minute meeting, economic relations, the crisis in Syria,
Turkish-Armenian relations and the Cyprus issue were all discussed.
Gul complained that trade relations with the US are very insufficient
and that the two sides were unable to make much progress in their
latest talks.
Gul asked Obama to be on the front lines in the international
community to help put an end to 14 months of violence in Syria,
and Obama assured Gul that the US is doing what is necessary on
this issue. He also said the foreign ministers of both countries and
relevant bodies are working together on the Syria crisis.
Obama also underlined that it is significant that the US's two
important allies, Turkey and Israel, mend ties in the face of new
developments in the Arab world which will contribute to peace and
stability in the region. Gul responded that "Israel knows what to do,"
referring to Turkey's demand for an official apology and compensation
for the Israeli storming of a Turkish-owned ship carrying aid to Gaza
in the summer of 2010.
Today's Zaman
May 21 2012
Turkey
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his US counterpart, Barack Obama,
met in Chicago on Monday on the sidelines of a NATO Summit, but failed
to make any progress on the sale of armed drones.
Turkey seeks to buy armed drones from the United States, but the
request has been controversial, with some in the US Congress refusing
to agree to a sale of aircraft to Turkey given Ankara's deteriorating
relations with Israel, a close US ally. The US administration, on
the other hand, is reportedly willing to sell the drones to Turkey
and is trying to persuade Congress not to block the sale.
Gul reportedly told Obama during the meeting that Turkey expects the
US to meet its needs in its struggle against terrorism. Diplomatic
sources added that Gul stated that the two leaders could not make
any progress on the sale of American drones to Turkey.
The sources also said Obama told Gul he understands Turkey's need for
the sale of the drones and that it is also on his administration's
agenda, but that "this is not something I can deal with alone. "There
is Congress," Obama reportedly told Gul, referring to the high
possibility that Congress will block the sale.
Gul also told Obama that addressing Turkey's needs in its struggle
against terrorism will contribute to the consolidation of US relations
with Turkey. Obama replied that he absolutely agrees with President
Gul's assessment.
Debate over the planned sale has heated up lately after a US report
claimed that American drones providing intelligence on the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) across the Turkish-Iraqi border provided the first
intelligence to Turkish officials about a group of Kurdish villagers
who were smuggling goods from Iraq into Turkey. The US drones,
according to a news report published in the Wall Street Journal,
alerted Turkish authorities to the group's presence. The villagers
were assumed to be PKK terrorists and attacked by Turkish warplanes,
leaving 34 civilians dead.
Gul told a group of journalists ahead of his talks that the proposed
sale is to come up at the meeting. He argued that if the sale of drones
is a sensitive issue, that should be the same for F-35 jet fighters,
which are even "more dangerous" weapons than the drones. The US has
decided to share F-35 technology with Turkey.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz,
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu and Turkish
Ambassador to the United States Namık Tan accompanied the Turkish
president.
In a 30-minute meeting, economic relations, the crisis in Syria,
Turkish-Armenian relations and the Cyprus issue were all discussed.
Gul complained that trade relations with the US are very insufficient
and that the two sides were unable to make much progress in their
latest talks.
Gul asked Obama to be on the front lines in the international
community to help put an end to 14 months of violence in Syria,
and Obama assured Gul that the US is doing what is necessary on
this issue. He also said the foreign ministers of both countries and
relevant bodies are working together on the Syria crisis.
Obama also underlined that it is significant that the US's two
important allies, Turkey and Israel, mend ties in the face of new
developments in the Arab world which will contribute to peace and
stability in the region. Gul responded that "Israel knows what to do,"
referring to Turkey's demand for an official apology and compensation
for the Israeli storming of a Turkish-owned ship carrying aid to Gaza
in the summer of 2010.