Delegations from the Turkish and U.S. defense ministries are planning to hold a second meeting in Washington on the F-35 fighter jet issue in the following months, Turkish Defense Ministry sources said Monday.
The United States and Turkey have held another round of talks aimed at resolving the dispute over Ankara’s removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the Pentagon announced last Wednesday.
Spokesperson Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said top Pentagon officials Andrew Winternitz and Melissa Benkert led a U.S. delegation for a visit to Ankara on Oct. 27 “for dispute resolution discussions to address remaining issues resulting from Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program, which was finalized on Sept. 23.” They were joined by a delegation from Turkey’s Defense Ministry, the Pentagon said.
“The meeting demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. government to conclude respectfully Turkey’s prior involvement in the F-35 program,” Semelroth said in a statement. “Discussions were productive, and the delegations plan to meet again in the coming months in Washington, D.C.,” he added.
Turkish Defense Ministry sources also said Monday that the two countries’ delegations held a meeting in Ankara last week to resolve the conflict on the F-35 and to discuss financial issues.
