Groups blast Trump admin's objection to restrictions on F-35 sale to TurkeyJuly 13, 2018 - 10:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of American (ANCA), In Defense of Christians (IDC) and the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) expressed sharp disappointment today over the Trump Administration's newly revealed opposition to Congressional restrictions upon the sale of advanced F-35 aircraft to Turkey. The Trump Administration relayed its position in a letter from Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of the Management and the Budget, to Senator Richard Shelby, the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. In his letter, Director Mulvaney wrote: "The Administration opposes section 7046(d)(3) of the [Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations] bill that restricts the use of funding for the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. Turkey is an important NATO ally, and has been an international participant with the F-35 program since 2002. The Administration shares the Congress's concerns over recent Turkish actions but opposes language that preemptively restricts its ability to work with Turkey to address those concerns." ANCA, IDC and HALC categorically reject the Administration's position: "President Trump's opposition to the bipartisan consensus around common-sense restrictions on the reckless transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey dramatically reduces American leverage, undercutting our ability to secure either Turkey's release of Pastor Andrew Brunson or to prevent Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missiles. "Sadly, by taking this short-sighted stand, President Trump is signaling weakness, seriously undermining America's negotiating position toward Erdogan's Turkey. "We encourage Congressional leaders to move quickly to enact statutory restrictions on F-35 and other advanced weapons sales/transfers to Turkey, and, more broadly, to undertake a long over-due policy review of U.S. relations with the increasingly hostile Turkish regime." Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |