The Turkish FM made the remarks after a U.S. Congress delegation urged Ankara to give up purchasing S-400 missile systems from Russia to receive the F-35 fighter jets.
“We have to protect our airspace. This is a must for us. They should understand it. Can the U.S. give us a guarantee to sell Patriots?” Cavusoglu said in a press conference in Lithuania on Aug. 28, Hurriyet daily reported.
“We are a partner in the F-35 program and some parts are produced in Turkey,” he said, calling on the U.S. to “leave the language of threats” to solve the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
“If they say they can do anything they want, like in cowboy movies, then they will get a response,” Cavusoglu added.
“[The fact that] Congress members are coming to Turkey is important. Because there are different institutions in the U.S., different positions, different beliefs [...] Of course, there are also members of the Congress who know the importance of Turkey and those who strive for the strengthening of Turkey-U.S. relations,” he added.
“Our relations with Russia are not an alternative to our relations with Lithuania or the European Union or our relations with the United States... Turkey can perfectly balance its foreign policy in the region,” he stated.
A three-member delegation headed by Congressman Michael Turner, a member of NATO Parliamentarian Assembly, visited Turkey on Aug. 27. The delegation met with Turkish parliamentarians and discussed the issues of Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 systems and delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
The congressmen urged Ankara to abandon procurement of S-400 systems to guarantee the delivery of the F-35s, while the Turkish side stressed further cooperation against the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO).
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