Greek-Turkish relationsor “regional rivalry between Turkey and Greece”, as it seems to be perceived in USA the situation in the area are one of the criteria for Congress takes into account in the process of processing Ankara’s request for the acquisition of new and modernization of existing F-16 from Türkiye.

This rejection is contained in a five-page report prepared by the Congressional Research Service under the general title “Turkey: Possible F-16 Sale.”

The report cites, among other things, “a joint explanatory statement on the Fiscal Year 2024 Defense Budget Bill (NDAA) that warns NATO allies against “unauthorized territorial overflights of the airspace of another NATO ally.”

Main settings

In broad terms, the report lists the following key parameters that Congress should consider when considering whether to clean up the F-16 sale and upgrade clutter:

• First, Sweden’s accession to NATO.
• Secondly, close economic and energy relations with Russia.
• Third, regional rivalry with Greece,
• and fourthly, domestic human rights violations and democratic backsliding observed during President Erdogan’s rule.

The report makes an unambiguous reference to an unofficial notice received by Congress from the Joe Biden administration that Washington intends to award contracts with Turkey with an estimated value of $20 billion.

Cautions

The report recorded the reservations of members of Congress and, in particular, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez and Minority Leader of the same committee Jim Reese, as well as 29 senators who asked President Biden to make this a condition for the sale of the F-16 and the entry of Sweden and Finland in NATO.

The report also mentions that in addition to the embargo imposed after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the US has either stopped or suspended arms supplies to Turkey.

They refer, for example, to the elimination of the F-35 program. Turkey’s position on the Ukrainian issue is also mentioned, mainly strengthening Ankara’s economic cooperation with Moscow, although it is noted that the Russian invasion was condemned from the very beginning.