China met demands in missile deal: Minister

ANKARA

Turkish Technology Minister Nihat Ergün says Turkey seeks technology transfer and co-production for its anti-missile deal. AA photo

Turkey chose a Chinese firm for its missile deal because it alone met Turkey’s demands for technology transfer and co-production, Turkish Technology Minister Nihat Ergün said during an interview with private broadcaster NTV on Nov. 22.

Turkey announced in September that it was beginning negotiations with the China Precision Machinery Export-Import Corporation (CPMIEC) to buy its first long-range anti-missile system.

The Chinese contender defeated a U.S. partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, Russia’s Rosoboronexport and the Italian-French consortium Eurosam.

“It wasn’t a technological point that put the Chinese firm forward. Turkey’s way of business has changed. We want a main technology transfer and the co-production of at least some parts in Turkey. The reason for the selection was because the Chinese firm was ahead in the ease of technology transfer and accepted co-production,” Ergün said. The reason for eliminating the other countries is that their offers were not reasonable and they did not accept Turkey’s demands, he added.

The technology minister stressed that this was not the final decision and that other countries had begun to revise their offers, which was important for Turkey to achieve its goals.

The deal has irritated Turkey’s NATO allies, particularly the United States, which has imposed sanctions on CPMIEC for selling arms and missile technology to Iran and Syria.