Erdogan says US sanctions an ‘attack’ on ally Turkey’s rights
Hindustan Times Dec 17, 2020 Posted by Karan Manral President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russian defence systems were a “hostile attack” on its sovereign rights and defence industry, and the move was bound to fail. Washington slapped the sanctions on NATO member Turkey’s Defence Industry Directorate (SSB), its chief Ismail Demir and three other employees on Monday over its acquisition of Russian S-400 missile defence systems. In his first public comments on the move, Erdogan said problems stemming from the sanctions would be overcome and vowed to ramp up efforts towards an independent defence industry, while criticising Washington for punishing a NATO ally. “What kind of alliance is this? What kind of partnership is this? This decision is an open hostile attack on our country’s sovereign rights,” he said in a televised address. “The real goal is to block the advances our country started in the defence industry recently an...