QA-78, 20 December 2019, Statement of the Spokesperson of Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hami Aksoy, in Response to a Question Regarding the Approval by the U.S. Congress of Draft Appropriations Bills

Draft appropriation bills regarding budget allocations for U.S. federal institutions in 2020 which were approved by the U.S House of Representatives and Senate, contain negative language targeting Turkey. This is the latest outcome of the agenda pursued by Members of Congress who are bent on damaging our bilateral relations by any means.

Turkey condemns the exploitation of even an ordinary budgeting process for the sake of the short term political ambitions of U.S. politicians.

Foremost, U.S. Members of Congress are damaging their own reputations and credibility by allowing themselves to be used by their anti-Turkish colleagues’ drive to hollow out the notion of “Alliance”. Those circles who try to unfairly block the delivery of F-35 aircrafts to Turkey, while attempting to hamper efforts for a solution on the Island of Cyprus and cooperation opportunities in the Eastern Mediterranean, will realize in due time that their initiatives are actually harming the U.S.’s own interests and not serving regional peace and stability.