Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan last week said Ankara would be open to new offers if its talks about co-producing a long-range air and missile defense system with China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp (CPMIEC) fail.
Turkey’s decision to choose a $3.4 billion Chinese offer over rival bids from Russian, U.S. and European firms has raised concern among Turkey’s Western allies. The sources familiar with the U.S. proposal to supply a Raytheon-built Patriot missile defense system said Turkish officials had requested an extension of the pricing included in the bid while their talks continued with China.
“It’s clear that they are trying to hedge their bets,” said one of the sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly. It was not immediately clear how long of an extension was requested.
Turkey announced in September it had chosen China’s FD-2000 missile defense system over rival systems from Franco/Italian Eurosam SAMP/T and Raytheon. It said CPMIEC offered the most competitive terms and would allow co-production in Turkey.
The U.S. ambassador to Turkey said on Oct. 24 that Washington was concerned that the deal with the Chinese firm could undermine allied air defenses and had begun “expert” talks with Ankara to assess the potential impact.
CPMIEC is under U.S. sanctions for violations of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. NATO is also worried about Turkey buying a system not compatible with those of other member states, potentially undermining a core principle of the 28-nation alliance.
- The sources said Turkey’s missile defense deal could also affect its plans to buy radar-evading F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp, which also builds the PAC-3 missiles used by the Patriot missile defense system.
“Do you really want a Chinese radar painting the F-35s every time they fly in or out of a Turkish base?” said one of the sources.
hurriyetdailynews.com
29/10/13
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Chinese delegation holds talks on missile deal...
ReplyDeleteA Chinese delegation met with Turkish officials in Ankara during a visit that came as US officials reportedly held talks that focused on Turkey's recent awarding of a tender for the co-production of its first long-range air and missile defense system to a Chinese company.
The 17-member Chinese delegation, comprising both military and civilian officials, had talks at the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) earlier this week. The visiting officials assured the SSM that all of Turkey's requirements will be met.
Turkey, a NATO member, announced in September that it had chosen the FD-2000 missile defense system from China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) over rival systems from Russian, US and European firms. The CPMIEC is under US sanctions for violations of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. The US has expressed concern over the Turkish decision and said it was discussing the matter with Ankara.
US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Jim Miller and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland paid separate visits to Ankara this week to discuss, among other things, Turkey's decision to pick the Chinese company in its missile defense system tender.
Turkey has said it is likely to sign the $3.4 billion deal with CPMIEC, but that its decision is not yet final. In a sign that it is keeping its options open in case the talks with CPMIEC fail, Turkey has asked the United States to extend the pricing on Raytheon Co.'s Patriot missile defense system proposal, Reuters reported earlier this week.
Defense Minister Ismet Yılmaz said on Thursday that Turkey was still open to new offers from the bidders that came in second and third, referring to Raytheon and French-Italian consortium Eurosam. He noted, however, that currently there were no problems in the talks with the Chinese company.
Turkish officials insist the move is not politically motivated and say China's offer met Ankara's primary demands in terms of price and the opportunity to do much of the production in Turkey.
Cihan
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=122021
2/11/13
Turkey says it has received no new bids to rival China missile offer...
ReplyDeleteTurkey has yet to receive any new bids to supply a new missile system to rival a controversial multi-billion dollar offer by a US-blacklisted Chinese company, a government official said Dec. 6.
"We have asked other companies to present revised bids but that has not yet happened," secretary of state for defense industries Murad Bayar said.
The United States has voiced deep concern over Turkey's decision in September to enter negotiations with China Precision Machinery Export-Import Corporation (CPMIEC) for its first long-range anti-missile system.
CPMIEC, which makes the HQ-9 missile system, is under US sanctions for selling arms and missile technology to Iran and Syria.
The Turkish move also irritated its allies in NATO, which has said missile systems within the transatlantic military alliance must be compatible with each other.
CPMIEC beat competition from a US partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, Russia's Rosoboronexport, and Italian-French consortium Eurosam for the deal, estimated at $4 billion (2.9 billion euros).
Bayar said in an interview with Turkey's private NTV television that these companies had until January 31 to submit new bids but that the talks with CPMIEC were continuing.
"If there is a new proposal we will evaluate it... and if we are unable to reach an agreement with the first company, we will look to the next," he said.
Bayar said Turkey, which has defended its choice oF CPMIEC, understood the "sensitivities" of its NATO allies but that "everything is being discussed" with them.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-says-it-has-received-no-new-bids-to-rival-china-missile-offer.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59127&NewsCatID=345
6/12/13