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US seeks explanation for Turkey threat to close military bases

Tuesday, 17 December 2019 9:14 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 17 December 2019 9:54 AM ]

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper delivers a speech during a ceremony as part of the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, on December 16, 2019, at the Mardasson Memorial in Bastogne. (Photo by AFP)

The Pentagon has called for Ankara's explanation regarding the Turkish president's comments on the possibility of closing two strategic military bases used by the United States in Turkey.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday threatened to close the Incirlik and Kurecik bases, in response to US threats of sanctions and a Senate resolution recognizing the Armenian “genocide.”

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday that he would speak to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, "to understand what they really mean and how serious they are."

"If the Turks are serious about this, I mean, they are a sovereign nation to begin with... they have the inherent right to house or not to house NATO bases or foreign troops," Esper told reporters on a plane as he flew back from Belgium.

"I think this becomes an Alliance's matter, their commitment to the Alliance, if indeed they are serious about what they are saying," he added.

The US-operated Incirlik airbase, situated south of Turkey, is known to be used by Washington to stockpile nuclear weapons. A powerful early-warning radar is also stationed in the southeastern Kurecik base.

Erdogan threatens to shut US Incirlik airbase in response to US sanctions, Armenian 'genocide' bill

The Turkish president has threatened to shut down the major US Incirlik airbase.

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavisoglu also warned that Ankara might close the Incirlik base if the US imposed sanctions on the country.

The developments came after a US Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey following its October offensive into northern Syrian and its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

On Thursday, the US Senate also voted unanimously to officially recognize the alleged mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire a century ago as "genocide". The nonbinding legislation had already passed the lower House of Representatives in October.

In response, Erdogan said Ankara will proceed to recognize the killing of millions of indigenous Americans as “genocide.”

He said Turkey “should oppose [the US] by reciprocating such decisions in parliament. And that is what we will do.”

“Can we speak about America without mentioning [Native Americans]? It is a shameful moment in US history,” he added, referring to the killing of millions of indigenous people at the end of the 15th century.

US Senate recognizes Armenian 'genocide', angering Turkey

The US Senate has formally recognized the killings of Armenians a century ago as “genocide.”

According to a team at University College London, back then, some 55 million indigenous people died during the European conquest of America.

The majority of the deaths occurred by diseases brought over from Europe. War, slavery, and displacement also contributed to the decline of the populations of the indigenous community.

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