Moscow: Turkey Cannot Sell Russian S-400 Missile System to US!
MOSCOW - Moscow insists Turkey cannot resell Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems to other countries including the United States (US) without Moscow's permission.
This was conveyed by a spokesman for Russia's federal service for military and technical cooperation, Maria Vorobyova, as reported by Reuters, citing Interfax news agency, yesterday (1/7/2020).
Vorobyova's remarks were in response to Republican Senate member John Thune, who proposed a law that allowed President Donald Trump's government to buy Russia's S-400 missile defense system from Turkey.
The proposal was praised by former Pentagon official Jim Townsend as an intelligent tactic, exploiting Moscow's sophisticated missile system technology and removing it from Ankara.
This sophisticated Russian-made defense weapon has sparked a dispute between Washington and Ankara after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government determined to buy it from Moscow despite opposition from America.
America since its inception opposed to Erdogan's government acquiring the Russian missile system on the grounds it could endanger US F-35 stealth jet fighters, including opening opportunities for Moscow to learn the secrets of the jet fighter's weaknesses. Another reason, the Moscow S-400 is not compatible with NATO's defense system.
However, Erdogan's government was determined to buy it and made the government of President Donald Trump expel Ankara from membership of the consortium program along with F-35 stealth fighter jets. In fact, Washington has suspended delivery of fighter jets that Turkey has bought.
Senator Thune is considering amending the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2021 that could allow Washington to buy Russian dangerous military devices through the US Army's procurement budget.
"The required amount may be allowed for use by the Army in 'Missile Procurement, Army' for the purchase of the S-400 missile defense system," reads the draft NDAA 2021 proposed by Thune.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee for International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky, said Senator Thune's proposal was "unprincipled" and "cynical".
"I don't think this will happen and I don't think Turkey will consider this proposal," Slutsky was quoted as saying by Sputnik Turkish.
Turkey signed an agreement to buy four missile system batteries from Russia in September 2017 at a price of nearly USD2.5 billion. Turkey has so far received the first batch of defense weapons which cost USD 1.3 billion, and the second batch at a cost of USD 1.2 billion is still in process.
The agreement signed between Moscow and Ankara has not been disclosed to the public, therefore details of the transfer of technology and joint production, as well as other details such as the possibility of selling defense systems to third parties are not publicly available. (Also read: India Clashes with China, Russia Speeds Up S-400 Shipping to New Delhi)
In early June, Russian Ambassador to Ankara Alexei Yerhov said in an interview with CNN Turk that Russia would not have an attitude of opposition to what Turkey was doing with the missile system because Ankara was "the owner of the system".
"Say I'm a car distributor and you want to buy a vehicle from me. We get money and sell the vehicle to you. This vehicle is yours. Whether you go to the beach, carry a potato or put a machine gun on it, join the war, it is a natural right You to keep it in the garage, "Yerhov said.
However, looking at recent statements by Russian officials, it appears that Turkey is permitted to "carry potatoes" with the S-400 system, as suggested by the Russian ambassador, but is not permitted to sell it to the United States.
source: https: //international.sindonews.com/read/87992/41/moskow-turki-tak-bisa-success-system-rudal-s-400-rusia-to-as-1593659277
