‘Türkiye’s position in Ukraine crisis played role in convincing US senate’

Türkiye's contributions in resolving disputes through the Ukraine crisis have played role in convincing the U.S. senators, Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee President Akif Çağatay Kılıç has said, after the two provisions of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill's U.S. Senate version that were set to restrict F-16 fighter jets' sale to Türkiye were dropped.

Speaking to Diplomatic Correspondents' Association members on Oct. 12, Kılıç informed about the Turkish delegation's discussions in Washington aimed at convincing the Congress members for sales of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Türkiye.

He recalled that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) delegation had paid two visits to the United States in May and September and had meetings with about 40 senators, members of the House of Representatives, the press, and representatives of the administration.

Kılıç said despite the media reporting that the U.S. congress was in negative attitude concerning Türkiye, they observed that the atmosphere was not that much unfavorable.

Türkiye's position embracing Montreux Convention after the war started between Russia and Ukraine, its facilitator role in the Ukrainian grain export deal, and prisoner exchange between the two warring sides were efficient in this positive perception, he said.

"They have remembered that Türkiye is not a country like the perception created as a result of some manipulative movements there," he said.

"We saw that the relationship between the two countries was perceived to be more important than the opinions of the people in the U.S. Congress, and this was brought to the fore. The fact that some parts of F-16s are already produced in Türkiye, and our development...

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