Her goal Turkey is to get out of the CAATSA sanctions of the United States and make every effort to manage the political aspect of the issue, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, among other things, in a full-length interview with Anadolu news agency. In this context, as he said, if a solution is found for Turkey’s return to the F-35 fighter program “it would be the preferable situation”.

Referring to sanctions CAATSA the head of Turkish diplomacy said that in meetings with the Senate, politicians and national security officials in the United States, Ankara emphasizes that such sanctions approaches do not serve either side and play a role in making the problems between the two countries even more chronic.

“We are in search of how we can solve it in a more positive way, various formulas for it, searches, opinions, discussions, proposals are coming from both sides. Our aim is to get out of CAATSA, because our Defense Industry Directorate is currently subject to CAATSA. I’m talking regardless of the product we’re going to buy, regardless of the F-35s and so on.” said the Hakan Fidan.

He added that the State Department is obliged to manage the political side of the matter, “when there is any preference at this point, just as in the case of the F-16”.

“When our Armed Forces put forward the will for the need for F-16s, it was approved by our president, but it was blocked in the US. A plan was developed to overcome this blockage politically, and this political obstacle has been cleared in the US Senate, while a technical negotiation between the manufacturing company and the Department of National Defense is underway. There are no longer any political problems” added the Turkish Foreign Minister.

Finally, about the American sanctions, he said: “We are trying to solve this issue not only because of it F-35but also because of the issue related to CAATSA. If a solution on the F-35 comes while this is being resolved, of course, that would be a preferable situation. As I said, the final technical authority on this matter is the Air Force Command of the Ministry of Defense. But at the moment we are making every effort to manage the political aspect of the issue. What can be creative formulas and solutions, we work them out. Of course, the final guidance of our president at the end of the day will be decisive. But we are closely watching the political side. Let me say that at least both sides agree that this is now an obstacle to relations between the two countries.”