UK weapons sales to Turkey ‘irresponsible’: Analyst
The UK government’s growing sale of arms to Turkey is “irresponsible” and “counter-productive” because the weapons may fall into the wrong hands due to the political situation in Ankara, says an analyst in London.
Javier Farje made the remarks in an interview about reports that the UK has sold almost £50 million worth of arms to Turkey since the failed coup attempt in July 2016.
According to newly published export statistics, Turkey, which is now a major buyer of British weapons, purchased £26 million worth of armored plates, body armor and helmets between July 1 and September 30.
Britain also sold Turkey £8.5 million worth of aircraft, helicopters and drones, and approximately £4 million worth of missiles, bombs and “counter-measures.”
In total, Turkey has bought £330 million in arms since 2015 and now it is on the UK Department for International Trade’s list of “priority markets” for arms exports.
“This is a hugely irresponsible attitude by the British government and indeed all the government allowing companies to sell weapons to Turkey,” Farje told Press TV on Wednesday.
Referring to Turkey’s support for terrorists groups that are fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Farje argued that the UK-made weapons might be handed over to those militants.
Farje also argued that since Turkey is in a war with Kurdish groups fighting Daesh, those weapons might end up being used against them.
“So, the problem at the moment we have is that they are going to use those use those weapons not as a tool to fight ISIS, they could fall into the hands of ISIS… also it can be used to repress the Kurds, who have been at the forefront of the fight against ISIS,” he argued, using another synonym for Daesh.
The increased sales of weapons come amid concerns that the country might use the weapons in violation of human rights.
“The political situation in Turkey is unstable, and the crackdown has meant that the repression is getting even worse,” Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade told The Guardian.
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