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Senator Robert Menéndez is not concerned about the retaliation Turkey may face after imposing US sanctions on CAATSA (Dealing with US Opponents Through Sanctions Act).
Don’t worry about threats
Speaking to ERT Washington correspondent Lena Argyri, the Democratic senator made it clear that he was not concerned about the Turkish threats, as “any possible response from Turkey would have the opposite effect and ultimately affect it.”
Turkey had called Washington’s decision a “serious mistake” and stressed that it intended to respond.
Commenting on the fact that the sanctions were imposed a full 17 months after receipt of the Russian systems, the senator said:
“I am pleased that, albeit belatedly, the US government has realized what Democrats and Republicans have long realized: that Turkey should have been punished on the same day it received the S 400, which It shouldn’t have been that difficult. It doesn’t take that long. “
Ignore all warnings
He went on to say that Turkey not only received the Russian system, but also ignored all American warnings and proceeded to activate it, testing it against an American-made F16.
The US senator described the move as “a significant threat to US national security and the security of the region as a whole.”
When asked if the 2021 defense budget, which provided for sanctions against Turkey, played a role in the government’s decision, Menendez said: “The amendment I made to the budget, which provides for sanctions against Turkey for one year, was definitely a Driving force.
However, Turkey’s own behavior has played a role, not only in relation to the Russian systems, but also in the eastern Mediterranean, Libya and, more recently, in Nagorno-Karabakh. “All of this made even President Trump, who would prefer to maintain his relationship with Erdogan, see that imposing sanctions was the only way.”
Symbolic meaning
The Democratic minority leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the specific sanctions were more symbolic than practical.
However, he recognized its importance, especially in terms of banning all US export licenses, which he said would have significant consequences for Turkey.
On the reaction and threats from Turkey, Menendez stressed that Ankara should not be surprised, as “we had repeatedly warned the authorities of the consequences and offered them ways out of which they refused to take advantage of.” Turkey’s threats are not a problem at all. Whichever answer they choose, it will be directed against them. “
Source: ΑΠΕ
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