Arınç Defends Choice Of Chinese Defense System, Says Turkey's Interests Matter

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has defended NATO member Turkey's selection of a Chinese missile system for its long-term, long-range missile and aerial defense program, code-named T-Loramids -- a move that has angered the US -- saying Turkey's interests are a priority and that it is not right for other countries to have a say in the matter.



Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Monday, Arınç underlined that some issues -- referring to Turkey's NATO membership and its selection of a Chinese firm -- should not be mixed and that the Turkish government only thinks about Turkey's interests.



"We do not consider anything other than Turkey's interests. The US authorities have already voiced their respectful remarks," Arınç said, adding that the US made no accusations against Turkey over its choice.



The Turkish Defense Industry Implementation Committee (SSİK) announced the decision that the contract to co-produce a long-range air and missile defense system worth $4 billion would be awarded to the Chinese firm China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp (CPMIEC) in a statement on Thursday, rejecting rival bids from Russian, US and European firms. CPMIEC was sanctioned by the United States in February for violations of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act.



Washington said on Saturday it had expressed serious concerns to Turkey over its decision to co-produce a long-range air and missile defense system with a Chinese firm under US sanctions.



Jen Psaki, US State Department spokeswoman, said the United States has made its concerns clear to Turkey at a high level.



"We have conveyed our serious concerns about the Turkish government's contract discussions with the US-sanctioned company for a missile defense system that will not be inter-operable with NATO systems or collective defense capabilities," Psaki said at a daily briefing for reporters. "Our discussions will continue."



Psaki said the United States had taken note of comments by Turkey that the deal was not yet final. If a deal was finalized "then we will talk about that at that point," she added.



US Ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone said that as Turkey is a NATO ally, when the US sees the need for Turkey's defense, it will act as an ally. "We are going to do that for as long as we are allies. We hope you will choose a NATO compatible system so that you will have the best air defense system in the world," he said, addressing Turkey.



Arınç noted that Turkey has been preparing for the tender for years and many countries' firms working in the defense industry had participated in the tender.



The main competitors for the tender were the Patriot missile long-range air defense system, produced by US partners Raytheon and Lockheed Martin; Russia's Rosoboronexport with its S-400 system; China's HQ9, exported as the FD-2000; and the Italian-French Eurosam and its SAMP/T Aster 30.



China's bid was the lowest, less than $3 billion. Arınç added that the main reason why Turkey had chosen the Chinese bidder was because it offered the lowest price and they reached an agreement to co-produce the missile systems in Turkey.



"It is not possible for another country to say, 'I have a problem with them. I put them on a black list or a red list, so how could you give them a tender?'" Arınç said, adding that when considering Turkey's interests, the Turkish government did not hesitate to choose the Chinese firm.



"We are a member of NATO and we have had good relations from the beginning with NATO countries, especially the United States. However, when it comes to the subject of defending Turkey … we have the power to make a decision without looking to anyone else," Arınç said.



Turkey has decided to start contract negotiations with CPMIEC on its six-year project to acquire long-range missile and air defense systems.



CPMIEC does not make missiles itself. The two main manufacturers are China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC). CASC makes intercontinental ballistic missiles, while CASIC focuses on short- and intermediate-range rockets.



The project is intended to bridge Turkey's gap in missile defense. Turkey opened a contract in March 2007 for the acquisition of long-range missiles, at the time citing, though implicitly, an effort to deter a possible threat from neighboring Iran.



Arınç said while the deal had not yet been completed, the initial selection had been based on the Chinese offer being the most economical and because some of the production would be carried out in conjunction with Turkey.



"Once the process is over, the production would start," he added.



President Abdullah Gül also stated that though Turkey is a NATO member state, after looking at the conditions, the purchase would be definite.



Turkey has for long been purchasing its military hardware and other equipment from the US, Germany and its other Western allies as part of a policy of integrating its weapons systems with NATO military equipment.



With the second-largest deployable military force in the NATO alliance, Turkey has no long-range missile defense system of its own, though NATO deployed the US-built Patriot air and missile defense system in Turkey in 2012. (Cihan/Today's Zaman)