Turkey's foreign minister suggested Wednesday that the United States
could be barred from using two strategic air bases in retaliation to
possible U.S. sanctions against his country, AP reported, citing the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Mevlut Cavusoglu comments came amid reports that U.S. lawmakers had
agreed on a defense bill that also includes calls to sanction Turkey
over its decision to proceed with the purchase and deployment of
Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems.
"In the event of a decision to sanction Turkey, the Incirlik and Kurecik
airbases can be brought to the agenda,"
Anadolu quoted Cavusoglu as
saying.
He said:
"Congress members must understand that it is not possible to get anywhere with sanctions."
Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey has been a main base for U.S.
operations in the Middle East and more recently in the fight against the
Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, while Kurecik, in eastern
Turkey, is a key NATO base.
Turkey's decision to proceed with the purchase of the Russian system has
added to growing tensions between the two NATO allies.
Washington says
the Russian system poses a threat to NATO and has removed Turkey from
the U.S.-led F-35 stealth fighter jet program.
Tensions were raised further after Turkey launched an incursion into
northeastern Syria to drive away Syrian Kurdish forces that had
partnered with the U.S. in the fight against the Islamic State group.
Turkey considers the Kurdish fighters as terrorists because of their
links to outlawed Kurdish rebels fighting inside Turkey.
