The creation of an oversight mechanism that will be able to ensure that Turkey does not use the new F-16 fighters to violate Greek sovereignty in the Aegean is proposed by six American congressmenahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

In a letter sent to Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken, MPs from the Greek affairs group in the House of Representatives argued for such a mechanism that would be able to freeze, delay or even cancel the transfer of fighters depending on its behavior Turkey. As they even explain, such a mechanism will be able to ensure that Ankara does not take actions that undermine US national security interests and the unity of the NATO alliance.

US lawmakers argue that specific conditions can be included in the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) that the US government will send to Turkey if the F-16 contract is approved. This letter may detail the terms, conditions, and oversight mechanisms governing the use of all equipment. which will be included in the defense contract. American lawmakers argue that such a move is feasible because it enjoys political legitimacy due to recent resolutions in Congress.

“Not only is there no precedent for imposing conditions on the sale of defensive weapons, but Congress has already expressed support for imposing conditions on such a sale. In the 2023 National Defense Budget Bill (NDAA), the House of Representatives approved an amendment that would place reasonable limits on the government’s ability to transfer F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey. This provision was passed by the Parliament on a bipartisan basis with 73% of the MPs voting in favor”, they note.

Finally, lawmakers are calling on Mr. Blinken to see the big picture as it is reflected in the broader interests of the Western alliance. For this reason, they argue that efforts should not be limited solely to Sweden’s NATO membershipas they remind that so Both President Biden and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have recently emphasized the importance of stability in the Aegean. Although they welcome the recent de-escalation, the American congressmen remind that the doctrine of Turkish foreign policy remains unchanged, given that Ankara continues to maintain the casus belli against Athens and possesses the Russian S-400 system.

The letter is signed by MPs Chris Papas, Gus Bilirakis, Frank Palone, John Sarbanis, Dina Titus, and Nicole Malliotakis.

The following is the Letter from the US Congressmen to Anthony Blinken

We write about the reported discussions between the United States and Turkey regarding the sale of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits in connection with Sweden’s accession to NATO. If an agreement to sell F-16s and modernization kits to Turkey is under consideration, we strongly urge that any final agreement include mechanisms to halt, delay, or withdraw the transfer of such weapons if Turkey engages in actions that threaten or undermine US national security interests and the unity of the NATO alliance.

While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the importance of NATO unity, Turkey has continued to hold Sweden’s NATO membership hostage in order to obtain F-16s and modernization kits from the United States. Still, State Department officials reportedly met recently with senior members of Congress, who have responsibility for approving arms sales, to ensure that Congress “will not overrule them if they pursue a deal with Turkey that will link the F-16 sale to Ankara’s approval of Sweden’s (NATO) accession.’

We are concerned about these reports given the government’s consistent statements that F-16 sales are not linked to Sweden’s accession. As it becomes increasingly clear that the administration is using every tool at its disposal to pressure Congress and relevant stakeholders to approve the sale of F-16s and modernization kit to Turkey, it is imperative that any agreement protect the broader NATO security interests and not just Sweden’s membership.

Turkey’s aggression in the region – which threatens the very “stability in the Aegean”, the value of which has been recognized by both President Biden and National Security Adviser Sullivan in recent statements – must stop in order for the US to transfer responsible way new weapons in Ankara. There must be safeguards that preclude the use of US weapons to provoke conflict within NATO. Given Turkey’s history of using US F-16s for overflights in the Aegean and for challenging Greek sovereignty, we call for mechanisms that provide for the cessation, delay or withdrawal of US arms transfers to Turkey if it continues its destabilizing actions in the Eastern Mediterranean that threaten or undermine US national security interests or the NATO security architecture.

As you know, after notifying Congress of its intention to proceed with the sale of defense systems, the US government will respond to the country’s (Turkey) Letter of Request with a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), which will detail the terms, conditions, and the oversight mechanisms governing the items (of defense equipment) to be covered by the sale.

In addition, all US defense systems sold, leased, or exported under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) are subject to end-use monitoring to ensure that the recipient complies with US government requirements regarding use, transport and security of the systems. (These requirements) ensure compliance with US arms export rules and policies. After the agreement is finalized, it is up to the US government to implement end-use monitoring as required by US law and specified in the terms of the LOA.

Not only is there no precedent for imposing conditions on the sale of defensive weapons, but Congress has already expressed support for imposing conditions on such a sale. In the 2023 National Defense Budget Bill (NDAA), the House of Representatives approved an amendment that would place reasonable limits on the government’s ability to transfer F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey. This provision was passed by the Parliament on a bipartisan basis with 73% of MPs voting in favor.

While we welcome the current pause in Turkey’s destabilizing actions in the region, it is important to emphasize that the Erdogan government has not changed policy. The impression that Turkey has improved relations with NATO ally Greece is belied by the fact that Ankara maintains the casus belli against Athens.

Turkey also continues to possess the Russian S-400 missile systems, the purchase of which formed the basis for Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program in 2019. As previously stated in a letter sent to you in November 2021, the experts have noted that providing Turkey with modernization kits carries similar collocation risks since Turkey has the Russian S-400s. Turkey’s bellicose behavior towards Greece – a truly reliable and democratic NATO ally – and the threat posed by the continued possession of the S-400 to NATO’s security architecture cannot go unnoticed as the government considers a deal with the Turkish government.

The administration has an obligation to ensure that US-supplied F-16s are not used to undermine US national security interests, stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the NATO alliance. Therefore, if an agreement to sell F-16s and modernization kits to Turkey is being considered, any agreement must include clear and meaningful mechanisms to stop, delay, or withdraw the transfer of such weapons if Turkey engages in actions that threaten or undermine US national security interests and the unity of the NATO alliance.