The S-400 missile defense system deal reached with Russia will not be affected if Turkey decides to purchase Patriot missiles from the United States, Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Volkan Bozkır said. Speaking to Daily Sabah in an exclusive interview following his visit to Washington where he held bilateral talks with U.S. Congress members and representatives, Bozkır said that Turkey's S-400 deal with Russia would not be spoiled by a possible purchase of U.S. Patriot missiles and this message was conveyed. He said that the U.S. members of Congress asked him why Turkey is buying the Russian S-400s rather than U.S. Patriot missiles.
Bozkır said Ankara would also consider purchasing the U.S. system if some of Turkey's conditions are met. "We said we would consider it. There is the issue of price, technology transfer and other issues of its length and having it approved in the Congress," he said. As of the U.S.'s position on the issue, Bozkır said U.S. representatives made menacing statements. "They spoke as if they spoke softly but carried a big stick, saying they will do this and that if we do not buy the Patriots," he said. He added that the F-35 project was one of the points U.S. officials mentioned. However, Bozkır said he clearly defined Ankara's position on the issue.
"There cannot be such a thing that we will cancel the F-35 planes if you do not buy Patriots. There cannot be such a thing that we sell you the Patriots but do not buy the S-400s either," Bozkır asserted, adding that Turkey can buy defense systems from wherever it finds appropriate.
Ankara and the Kremlin have already finalized the negotiations for the S-400 missile defense system deal and the first deliveries are scheduled for early 2020.
The S-400 is Russia's most advanced long-range, anti-aircraft missile system able to carry three types of missiles capable of destroying targets including ballistic and cruise missiles.
Turkey ordered the first two F-35 jets for the projected fleet of 100 F-35A aircraft in 2014 and plans to deploy the aircraft by 2019. The F-35s will replace the aging fleet of F-4s and F-16s. Indeed, Turkey is a significant party to the project. On Dec. 12 of last year, the Pentagon said that Italy and Turkey would provide the initial heavy maintenance for the F-35 fighter jets and their engines in Europe from 2018.
U.S. CONGRESS BAFFLED BY YPG'S DEFEAT IN AFRIN
Another issue dominating Bozkır's time in the United States was Operation Olive Branch, Washington's partnership with the PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) and the YPG's defeat in Afrin in northern Syria.
He said there was a common misperception in U.S. Congress that the YPG was an efficient actor on the ground in Syria.
However, Bozkır said that the issue has quickly changed in their eyes after the terrorist group was routed in less than 60 days in its stronghold of Afrin.
"There is a great astonishment [in Washington]. They cannot grasp how it has happened. They got such an opinion that they were taken by the assumption that the operation would take months maybe more than a year due to the ammunition and heavy weapons they gave, the tunnels they prepared and the geographical composition of the region," Bozkır said, adding that the U.S.'s whole strategy collapsed after Afrin was captured in such a short span of time. He said that the greatest astonishment in Washington is due to the indifference of the people of Afrin to the defeat of the YPG.
CLAIM THAT YPG BEST GROUND FORCE COLLAPSED
Both the previous and present U.S. administrations have opted to use the YPG in Syria and provided dozens of tons of heavy weapons and ammunition since October 2015. Washington also says that the YPG was the most effective force in fighting Daesh.
That being said, as the YPG was driven from one of its most significant strongholds in less than two months, the glamour has vanished in Washington, according to Bozkır.
"The Afrin victory will force the U.S. to distribute the cards once again. As far as I have seen the U.S.'s belief that it can carry out a struggle against Turkey and the Free Syrian Army with the YPG has collapsed," Bozkır said.
