Turkey challenges US over S-400
The issue with the acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft missile system is “closed and the United States has to accept it,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday in an interview on Turkish channel NTV.
“We want to look into the future of our [bilateral] relations. We need anti-aircraft systems. If the United States makes a good offer and the Congress approves, we could buy from them, too, even though they are more expensive,” Cavusoglu added.
In the aggressive interview, Cavusoglu also scolded Cyprus, Greece and the European Union.
“The reason for the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean is the Cypriot administration [that’s how Turkey refers to the government of Cyprus, which it does not recognize] ignoring the rights of the [breakaway state in northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey], and Greece, which, with its maximalist positions, tried hemming us in.”
Cavusoglu also expressed his annoyance at the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, which Egypt organizes and to which Turkey has not been invited. “Any cooperation and agreement that excludes Turkey is invalid. If those agreements… violate our rights, we will do what we must,” Cavusoglu said.
The Turkish foreign minister accused the European Union of dragging its feet over migration and said that burdens should be shared equally in all aspects of the issue, not just the financial one.
