Ankara blasts Canada's suspension of military technology sales
ANKARA
Canada has shown double standards by suspending export permits of some military products to Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 6.
“Canada’s statement regarding the suspension of the export permits of some military products to our country, citing the just struggle of Azerbaijan to save its territories under Armenian occupation for 30 years, is an indication of the double-standard approach of this country,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.
The ministry underlined that especially since the period last year when Turkey launched its “Operation Peace Spring” in northern Syria, Canada has been “creating obstacles” in terms of military material export permits for Turkey “in a way that does not comply with the spirit of alliance, and exhibits an attitude away from cooperation.”
“While Canada did not see any harm in exporting weapons to countries that were militarily involved in the crisis in Yemen, where one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of this century was experienced, and while presenting these arms sales, which were criticized even in reports prepared by U.N. experts, as a contribution to regional security, there can be no explanation for the blocking of defense products exports to a NATO ally,” it added.
Turkey has a comprehensive export control regime, and studiously implements its obligations, the ministry said.
“Our expectation from Canada is that it will follow a policy away from double standards, act without being under the influence of anti-Turkish circles in its country and without being confined to narrow accounts of political interest,” the statement said.
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Oct.5 said that certain allegations have been made over the last several days regarding “Canadian technology being used in the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“In line with Canada’s robust export control regime and due to the ongoing hostilities, I have suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey, so as to allow time to further assess the situation,” he said, adding that Canada continues to be concerned by the ongoing conflict in the Upper Karabakh region resulting in shelling of communities and civilian casualties.
