Turkey’s Erdogan says no problem with Russian S-400 purchases

Ankara's decision to buy the S-400s has been seen in some Western capitals as a snub to NATO, given tensions with Moscow over Ukraine and Syria.

October 13, 2017 01:15 pm | Updated 01:34 pm IST - ISTANBUL:

 In this May 9, 2015 file photo, Russian S-400 Triumph/SA-21 Growler medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missile systems drive during the Victory Day parade at Red Square in Moscow, Russia.

In this May 9, 2015 file photo, Russian S-400 Triumph/SA-21 Growler medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missile systems drive during the Victory Day parade at Red Square in Moscow, Russia.

President Tayyip Erdogan said there was no problem with Turkey's planned purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and talks have also been held on the S-500 system, Haberturk and other newspapers reported on Friday.

His Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted on Monday as saying NATO member Turkey could seek a deal to acquire a missile defence system with another country if Russia does not agree to joint production of the defence shield.

Speaking to reporters as he returned on his plane from a trip to Ukraine and Serbia, Erdogan said there would be no joint production in the first stage of S-400 purchases, but in the second stage “God willing we will take joint production steps", Haberturk reported.

“In our talks with [Russia President Vladimir] Putin we are not thinking of stopping with the S-400s. We have had talks on the S-500s too,” he added, referring to a missile system currently under development.

Ankara's decision to buy the S-400s has been seen in some Western capitals as a snub to NATO, given tensions with Moscow over Ukraine and Syria, while the deal raised concern because the weapons cannot be integrated into the alliance's defences.

However, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this week Turkey was not seeking to antagonise the U.S.-led alliance by purchasing the system and is in talks with France and Italy to buy similar weapons.

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