US: ‘Very real risk’ of sanctions on Turkey

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert reiterated on Tuesday that the serious possibility exists that the US will impose sanctions on Turkey.
kurdistan24.net

WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan24) – State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert reiterated on Tuesday that the serious possibility exists that the US will impose sanctions on Turkey.

Responding to a question from Kurdistan 24 about two outstanding issues dividing the US and Turkey—the continued detention of US Pastor Andrew Brunson and Turkey’s stated intention to purchase the S-400, a Russian air defense system—Nauert cited Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks at last week’s Ministerial conference to Advance Religious Freedom, hosted by the State Department.

“Certainly, the Vice President addressed” that question “just a few days ago, when he talked about the very real risk of sanctions for the government of Turkey,” Nauert replied, as she emphasized that the US “has had numerous conversations with Turkey.”

Pence spoke at the Ministerial on Thursday. His remarks included “a message” to “President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and the Turkish government” on behalf of US President Donald Trump: “Release Pastor Andrew Brunson now, or be prepared to face the consequences.”

“If Turkey does not take immediate action to free this innocent man of faith and send him home to America, the United States will impose significant sanctions on Turkey,” Pence affirmed.

A tweet from Trump then reinforced the Vice President’s statement: “The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their longtime detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man, and wonderful human being.”

As Nauert’s remarks on Tuesday indicate, that remains the US position.

According to The Washington Post, the White House anger at Turkey is driven by the belief that Erdogan has reneged on an understanding with Trump.

Trump thought he had reached a deal with Erdogan at the Brussel’s NATO summit in mid-July. Trump would get Israel to release a Turkish citizen, charged with aiding Hamas, and Erdogan would secure Brunson’s release.

Israel did release the Turkish citizen, and Erdogan acknowledged Trump’s assistance, but Erdogan denied there had been any quid pro quo, as he rebutted the Post’s account.

Erdogan also affirmed that the US “will not intimidate Turkey,” while warning that the US would lose a " strong and sincere ally.”

Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, repeated that position, denouncing the US threats as “unacceptable.”

However, the Turkish position seems to have had little impact on Washington.

Other serious issues also divide the two countries. They include Turkey’s plans to purchase Russia’s S-400. Existing Congressional legislation mandates sanctions for such purchases.

Moreover, Turkey expects to take delivery of the latest US fighter jet, the F-35. However, next year’s defense budget, as drafted by Congress, includes language prohibiting the transfer of the planes, as long as Brunson and Serkan Golga, a Turkish-American NASA scientist, remain in Turkish custody.

As the Washington paper that covers Congressional affairs, The Hill, reported, these provisions in the defense budget are “the latest sign Congress is fed up with Turkey.”

Nauert also explained that Turkey had detained three of the State Department’s locally employed staff, and the US was demanding their release as well.

Pompeo and Cavusoglu will meet later this week in Singapore on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Most probably, they will be trying to repair relations, but how much leeway each diplomat will have remains to be seen.

In addition, Nauert announced that the US will be “funding a program to conserve cultural heritage sites of minority communities in northern Iraq.”

These are sites that the Islamic State “targeted for destruction,” she explained.