Akar: Hope Biden Doesn’t Play Congressman ‘Game’ on F-16s

Ankara hopes Washington will not play the “game” of some US lawmakers who oppose a potential sale of F-16 fighter jets, Turkey’s defense minister said after the House of Representatives approved a bill that creates a new barrier to any purchase of fighters from Turkey, reports the Reuters agency in a telegram.

Turkey has sought to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-built F-16 fighter jets and modernization equipment from the United States. President Joe Biden has said he supports their sale, and his Turkish counterpart said he believes it will go through after talks with Biden.

Last week the House approved a bill that would bar the sale to Ankara unless the administration certifies it is necessary for US national security, also including an outline of specific steps that would be taken to ensure they are not used for illegal overflights from GREECE.

According to the Reuters cable, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that talks on the sale of the fighters are continuing and that Turkey is closely monitoring the process, adding that US officials are aware of the importance of Turkey, a NATO member, as ally in the fight against terrorism and on the issue of immigration.

“While this is the situation, how can you explain this? A parliamentarian, a group comes out and stirs things up through some manipulation and misinformation,” Akar said. “We expect the United States not to play this game.”

Akar rejected any terms for a possible sale of the fighters.

“There shouldn’t be a question of conditions like I’m giving you this, but you won’t do that,” he said. “We hope common sense prevails,” he said.