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A NEW US ARMS EMBARGO ON TURKEY?
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 13 2015
Burak Bekdil
It went largely unnoticed in Turkey when the U.S. Congress on Dec. 19,
2014, approved the potential transfer to Taiwan and Mexico of six
frigates being decommissioned by the American Navy.
Signed into law by President Barack Obama, the Naval Vessel Transfer
Act of 2013 authorizes the transfer of the frigates Curts and McClusky
to Mexico on a grant basis. The act also authorizes the sale of the
frigates Taylor, Gary, Carr and Elrod to Taiwan.
All the ships are of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, now being phased
out of the U.S. Navy. A story in prominent U.S.-based weekly Defense
News said the following: "Gone from earlier versions of the bill are
proposed transfers of frigates to Thailand and Pakistan. Those ships
were removed from consideration by concerns about the May military
coup in Thailand, after which the U.S. government canceled numerous
military deals and engagements with the country, and a number of
political conditions attached to ongoing military aid to Pakistan."
The story also said the 2012 version of the Naval Transfer Act,
containing a number of ships for Turkey, also failed, "largely due
to concerns in Congress about Turkish policies." But which Turkish
policies?
Ankara thinks that the move could be the precursor of an intention
for a wider U.S. arms embargo.
"These are almost useless vessels of no strategic importance for
the Turkish Navy," said one senior defense official in Ankara. "The
Americans know that the ships would not be great naval assets for
Turkey. We think the decision not to transfer the ships to Turkey
may be reflecting the likelihood of a broader embargo in the future."
He said the decision not to transfer the ships to Turkey was
"apparently the joint work of the Jewish, Greek and Armenian lobbies
at work in Washington."
A senior Turkish diplomat said it was not a secret that Turkey and
the U.S. have divergent opinions on Turkey's relations with Israel
and how Ankara has handled its policy on joint Israeli-Cypriot
and Egyptian-Cypriot efforts to search for hydrocarbons in eastern
Mediterranean.
"The U.S. move has a naval dimension which prompts us to think that
the more imminent problem on the political level is related more to
Cypriot hydrocarbons than others," he said.
A defense procurement official in Ankara said any further U.S. move
"that may look like an embargo due to political rifts" would trigger
reaction and risk U.S. defense business in Turkey.
"The unfriendly U.S. move came at a time when our U.S. [and European]
allies are trying to convince us that going for a Chinese solution
in our air defense program is not a good idea. The timing of the
frigate decision is puzzling. The Americans know very well which
contracts potentially involving U.S. defense business in Turkey could
be jeopardized and how much harm that may make to U.S. industry,"
said the official.
In September 2013, Turkey selected China Precision Machinery
Import-Export Corp. (CPMIEC) to build its first long-range air and
anti-missile defense system, but talks with the Chinese contender have
not produced a final deal. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Jan. 7
that a new, six-month extension would be granted to all three bidders
for renewed offers. CPMIEC is competing against a European consortium,
Eurosam, and a partnership of the U.S. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
In the mid-1990s, Turkey and the U.S. experienced a mini crisis after
Washington refused to permit the delivery of critical ammunition
parts to Turkey, citing human rights violations in Turkey's fight
against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
January/13/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/a-new-us-arms-embargo-on-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nid=76819&NewsCatID=483
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 13 2015
Burak Bekdil
It went largely unnoticed in Turkey when the U.S. Congress on Dec. 19,
2014, approved the potential transfer to Taiwan and Mexico of six
frigates being decommissioned by the American Navy.
Signed into law by President Barack Obama, the Naval Vessel Transfer
Act of 2013 authorizes the transfer of the frigates Curts and McClusky
to Mexico on a grant basis. The act also authorizes the sale of the
frigates Taylor, Gary, Carr and Elrod to Taiwan.
All the ships are of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, now being phased
out of the U.S. Navy. A story in prominent U.S.-based weekly Defense
News said the following: "Gone from earlier versions of the bill are
proposed transfers of frigates to Thailand and Pakistan. Those ships
were removed from consideration by concerns about the May military
coup in Thailand, after which the U.S. government canceled numerous
military deals and engagements with the country, and a number of
political conditions attached to ongoing military aid to Pakistan."
The story also said the 2012 version of the Naval Transfer Act,
containing a number of ships for Turkey, also failed, "largely due
to concerns in Congress about Turkish policies." But which Turkish
policies?
Ankara thinks that the move could be the precursor of an intention
for a wider U.S. arms embargo.
"These are almost useless vessels of no strategic importance for
the Turkish Navy," said one senior defense official in Ankara. "The
Americans know that the ships would not be great naval assets for
Turkey. We think the decision not to transfer the ships to Turkey
may be reflecting the likelihood of a broader embargo in the future."
He said the decision not to transfer the ships to Turkey was
"apparently the joint work of the Jewish, Greek and Armenian lobbies
at work in Washington."
A senior Turkish diplomat said it was not a secret that Turkey and
the U.S. have divergent opinions on Turkey's relations with Israel
and how Ankara has handled its policy on joint Israeli-Cypriot
and Egyptian-Cypriot efforts to search for hydrocarbons in eastern
Mediterranean.
"The U.S. move has a naval dimension which prompts us to think that
the more imminent problem on the political level is related more to
Cypriot hydrocarbons than others," he said.
A defense procurement official in Ankara said any further U.S. move
"that may look like an embargo due to political rifts" would trigger
reaction and risk U.S. defense business in Turkey.
"The unfriendly U.S. move came at a time when our U.S. [and European]
allies are trying to convince us that going for a Chinese solution
in our air defense program is not a good idea. The timing of the
frigate decision is puzzling. The Americans know very well which
contracts potentially involving U.S. defense business in Turkey could
be jeopardized and how much harm that may make to U.S. industry,"
said the official.
In September 2013, Turkey selected China Precision Machinery
Import-Export Corp. (CPMIEC) to build its first long-range air and
anti-missile defense system, but talks with the Chinese contender have
not produced a final deal. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Jan. 7
that a new, six-month extension would be granted to all three bidders
for renewed offers. CPMIEC is competing against a European consortium,
Eurosam, and a partnership of the U.S. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
In the mid-1990s, Turkey and the U.S. experienced a mini crisis after
Washington refused to permit the delivery of critical ammunition
parts to Turkey, citing human rights violations in Turkey's fight
against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
January/13/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/a-new-us-arms-embargo-on-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nid=76819&NewsCatID=483