Turkey has put down a deposit on S-400 missiles to Russia: Erdoğan

Vahap Munyar - ISTANBUL

Turkey has already paid a deposit to Russia for the purchase of the S-400 anti-ballistic missile system despite opposition from its NATO allies, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, underlining that both Ankara and Moscow were committed to accomplish the sale process of the high-tech defense equipment.“Our friends have already signed [an agreement on] S-400s. The purchase of the surface-to-air missile defence batteries, Ankara's most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier, comes with Turkey in the throes of a crisis in relations with several Western states. "Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published in several newspapers on Tuesday. Both Mr. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and myself, we are determined on this issue,” Erdoğan told journalists on his return from Kazakhstan on Sept. 10.Erdoğan’s remarks debunked some news reports published in different Western newspapers that suggested that Turkey will backtrack from purchasing Russian-made anti-ballistic missiles system as they wouldn’t be interoperable with NATO’s radars.But Erdoğan denied these reports, stressing that no other country has the right to discuss Turkey’s sovereign and independent decisions in upgrading its defense.“It’s us who will make decisions regarding our independence. 'Take our own decisions'

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier is likely to raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance's equipment. The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment. But Erdogan said Turkey -- which has the second largest standing army in NATO after the United States -- was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs. "Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry," he said in the comments published Tuesday. “We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country.”

The Turkish leader said the process would continue with a transfer of Russian credit to Turkey. Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin’s adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: “The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation.”

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier is likely to raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance’s equipment. "I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests," he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency. "For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey," he added. “For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey.”

Russia’s relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine. We have killed 90 terrorists [with the armed drones] in the last week,” referring to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which the U.S. has been funding in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).When asked about the state of cooperation between Turkey and Russia over Syria especially with concerns that a military operation could take place to expel al-Qaeda-linked terrorists from Idlib, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of a meeting that will take place in Astana on Sept. 14 and 15 with the participation of Turkey, Russia and Iran.“Currently, the process in Idlib is being run as we agreed with Russia. The Turkish-Russian contract is a new sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border. Ankara was also heartened by Moscow's response to the 2016 failed coup in Turkey and the two sides have been working together in search of a solution to the Syria conflict.
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirms Turkey has paid a deposit on the purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.