Turkey accuses Canada of "double standard" after suspension of weapons sales
"We expect Canada to pursue a policy far from double standards and to act without influence from anti-Turkey circles in the country. There cannot be any other explanation for its prevention of arms exports to its NATO ally," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a written statement released on Tuesday.
- World
- AFP
- Published Date: 09:29 AM 06 October 2020
Turkey on Tuesday slammed Canada's decision to suspend arms exports to the country, accusing Ottawa of "double standards."
"We expect Canada to pursue a policy far from double standards and to act without influence from anti-Turkey circles in the country," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"While Canada does not see harm in exporting arms to countries militarily involved in the Yemen crisis... and presents the sales as a contribution to regional security, there cannot be any other explanation for its prevention of arms exports to its NATO ally," it added.
Ottawa announced in October 2019 a freeze on the issuing of export permits for military shipments to Turkey, after its incursions against YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria. It was lifted in May.
Turkey is backing its longtime ally Baku in the fighting over Armenian-occupied Upper Karabakh region.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and the new fighting has killed at least 260 people.