Turkey urges dialogue with US after missile sanctions

ANKARA: Turkey’s defence minister has called on the United States to reopen talks about Ankara’s controversial purchase of a Russian air defence system, urging Washington to move past sanctions and threats.

But Hulusi Akar also told foreign reporters in Ankara on Wednesday that Turkey was in discussions to receive a second batch of the advanced S-400 missiles from Russia, which compete with US Patriots. The issue will pose an immediate challenge for US President-elect Joe Biden, who is expected to take a tougher line with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

After more than a year of warnings, Washington hit Turkey’s military procurement agency with sanctions last month under a 2017 law which punishes major military purchases from Russia. Akar emphasised the need for dialogue between the Nato allies to address Washington’s concerns.

"Let’s sit down, let’s talk, let’s make the effort to find a path to resolve this," Akar said. "Our sincere belief is dialogue, dialogue, dialogue... Without dialogue, with things like sanctions, threatening language, it’s really not possible to get anywhere."