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TURKEY WON'T DECIDE ON AIR DEFENSE DEAL BEFORE APR. 24
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 17 2015
Burak Bekdil
Turkey won't make a decision over its multibillion dollar deal for
the construction of its first long-range air and anti-missile defense
system before April 24, the centennial of the 1915 events
The defense committe selected CPMIEC as the best bidder, Eurosam as
the second and a partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin as the
third. DHA Photo
Turkey will refrain from selecting a winner for its disputed,
multibillion dollar contract for the construction of its first
long-range air and anti-missile defense system before April 24, the
centennial commemoration of the 1915 killings of Ottoman Armenians,
according to senior officials.
"We have agreed with the government leaders not to rush to a decision
any time soon," one defense procurement official said. "A decision
before April 24 is out of the question."
A senior diplomat confirmed that Ankara first wants to see the U.S.
and French positions on the "genocide claims" before awarding
a sizeable contract "to a bidder potentially from one of these
countries."
"How these countries observe the centennial of the events [of
1915-1920] will be an important input for our final decision," he said.
After Ankara selected a Chinese company in September 2013 to build
the air defense architecture and came under heavy pressure from its
Western allies for the decision, it also opened parallel negotiations
this summer with a European contender in the multibillion dollar
competition.
Contract negotiations with the Chinese manufacturer, China Precision
Machinery Import Export Corp (CPMIEC), are also in progress, but
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that talks have also opened
with Eurosam, the European contender in the program.
Following an assessment by Turkey's top defense procurement agency,
the Defense Industry Executive Committee selected CPMIEC as the best
bidder and Eurosam as the second. A U.S. partnership of Raytheon and
Lockheed Martin came third in the bidding. CPMIEC offered a solution
with a price tag of $3.44 billion.
A defense industry source said he expected tough rivalry between
French and U.S. contenders in the second half of 2015. "Both of them
are surely aware that how their governments tackle the centennial
will be critical for success or failure," he said.
February/17/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-wont-decide-on-air-defense-deal-before-apr-24.aspx?pageID=238&nID=78419&NewsCatID=483
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 17 2015
Burak Bekdil
Turkey won't make a decision over its multibillion dollar deal for
the construction of its first long-range air and anti-missile defense
system before April 24, the centennial of the 1915 events
The defense committe selected CPMIEC as the best bidder, Eurosam as
the second and a partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin as the
third. DHA Photo
Turkey will refrain from selecting a winner for its disputed,
multibillion dollar contract for the construction of its first
long-range air and anti-missile defense system before April 24, the
centennial commemoration of the 1915 killings of Ottoman Armenians,
according to senior officials.
"We have agreed with the government leaders not to rush to a decision
any time soon," one defense procurement official said. "A decision
before April 24 is out of the question."
A senior diplomat confirmed that Ankara first wants to see the U.S.
and French positions on the "genocide claims" before awarding
a sizeable contract "to a bidder potentially from one of these
countries."
"How these countries observe the centennial of the events [of
1915-1920] will be an important input for our final decision," he said.
After Ankara selected a Chinese company in September 2013 to build
the air defense architecture and came under heavy pressure from its
Western allies for the decision, it also opened parallel negotiations
this summer with a European contender in the multibillion dollar
competition.
Contract negotiations with the Chinese manufacturer, China Precision
Machinery Import Export Corp (CPMIEC), are also in progress, but
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that talks have also opened
with Eurosam, the European contender in the program.
Following an assessment by Turkey's top defense procurement agency,
the Defense Industry Executive Committee selected CPMIEC as the best
bidder and Eurosam as the second. A U.S. partnership of Raytheon and
Lockheed Martin came third in the bidding. CPMIEC offered a solution
with a price tag of $3.44 billion.
A defense industry source said he expected tough rivalry between
French and U.S. contenders in the second half of 2015. "Both of them
are surely aware that how their governments tackle the centennial
will be critical for success or failure," he said.
February/17/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-wont-decide-on-air-defense-deal-before-apr-24.aspx?pageID=238&nID=78419&NewsCatID=483