Alwaght- NATO military alliance member Turkey says it is holding talks to supposedly purchase Russian S-400 air defense system.
Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik has said on Friday that Ankara is in talks with Moscow regarding the purchase of S-400 air defense systems. He made the statement when asked about Turkey’s plans for building up its air defense potential. "We are conducting talks with Russia over the S-400s. But we also go ahead with contacts with other countries on this issue. Russia’s stance is positive," he said.
Isik has expressed hopes that Turkey’s talks with other countries will make NATO to come up with a more serious initiative and his country will have a system meeting the alliance’s requirements. "But this does not mean that we will ignore Russia’s proposals. We are pushing ahead with pro-active work Russia in this direction. Our ultimate goal is to start producing these systems on our own," Isik said. Undersecretary of Defense Industries Ismail Demir had earlier said Turkey was prepared to work with “any interested party,” including Russia and China, on developing its long-range air defense capabilities.
“We have already made clear that we will be in cooperation with countries and companies that would lend support to us throughout this process. We have said our doors are open and that we are willing to cooperate,” he said, as cited by Hurriyet Daily.
Turkey Attempted to Buy Chinese Missile Defense System
This is not the first time Turkey is threatening to look approach NATO adversaries for its air defense system. Two years ago China's state TV reported from an Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) that China and Turkey have reached an agreement in which Ankara would purchase China's new generation Hong Qi 9 or HQ-9 air defense missile system. But after the US changed its stances and agreed on the urgency for regime change in Syria, Turkey cancelled the $3.4 billion purchase.
President Erdogan has been using Turkish cleric who lives in self-imposed exile in the US as a scapegoat in confronting Washington's policy of supporting Syrian Kurds and supplying them with weapons.
Erdogan has been a harsh critic of President Obama's administration Syria policy and whenever he wants to obtain concession from Washington, he threatens to buy an air defense system from non-NATO countries. If Turkey actually goes ahead an obtains the S-400 defense system it remains to be seen how a Russian defense system can be integrated in NATO's air defense umbrella due to possible infiltration of sensitive NATO's security data.
Bargaining Chip
Now, once again Turkish Defense Minister said his country is holding talks with several countries purchasing an air defense system. So far there has been no official or non-official comment from Moscow. The Erdogan government talking about the supposed plan to purchase an air defense system to pressurize the Obama administration in its last month and obtain major concessions for his country. Ankara is most likely looking for a green light from the Obama administration to establish a no-fly zone in Syria or at least force Washington to pull back Kurdish fighters from the Syrian town of town of Manbij (which is the only Kurdish controlled town south of Euphrates.)
President Erdogan also wants Turkish cleric Fethullah Gullen who lives in self-imposed exile in the US to be repatriated back home for alleged involvement in the failed July coup against his regime. Another probable objective pursued by Ankara in reviving the issue of purchasing a missile defense system from a NATO rival is to compel Washington to stop its current policy of supporting Syrian Kurds and supplying them with weapons.
It is unlikely that Turkey will achieve all its objectives by using the anti-missile system as a political bargaining chip to force concessions from Washington.
Whenever Turkey intends to force the US to toe its line, it looks east and Washington normally gives in to some of Ankara's demands. Therefore Russian President Putin will certainly keep in mind Erdogan's other objectives while considering his proposal for the purchase of the S-400 missile defense system.
