Turkish defense chief receives US House Armed Services Committee delegation

By Esra Tekin, Gazi Nogay, and Aykut Yilmaz

ISTANBUL/ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye's national defense minister on Friday received a delegation of US members of Congress from the House Armed Services Committee in the capital Ankara, according to an official statement.

"National Defense Minister Yasar Guler received Mike Rogers, chairman of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, Ranking Member Adam Smith, and members Salud Carbajal and Veronica Escobar. US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry L. Flake was also present at the reception," the National Defense Ministry said on X.

The meeting is expected to address Türkiye's national security concerns "at the highest level," with a particular focus on issues including counter-terrorism and US support for the PKK/YPG terrorist organization.

The two sides are also expected to discuss Türkiye's acquisition of the F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits process, awaiting US congressional approval.

- Visit to parliament

The delegation also paid a visit to Türkiye's parliament building, where they met with lawmakers on the legislature's Committee on National Defense.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the committee's Chairman Hulusi Akar said there were no problems in the procurement process for the fighter aircraft and kits, adding:

"Necessary agreements and contracts have been made. Our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has had meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ... This now stands before us as a project being followed up on and agreed upon in a normal manner, with no issues."

Akar said that that during the meeting, the Turkish side had underlined "the need for cooperation against the presence of PKK/YPG terror group in northern Syria and Iraq, as well as against the ISIS/Daesh presence."

"We expressed the necessity of working together as two allies," he added.

On the matter of Israel's ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, Akar said they highlighted the "urgent need to prevent the deaths of children, women, and innocent people," adding that Türkiye harbors no "hostility towards Israel's existence."

He said they also other regional issues, including on the Mediterranean and Greece, as well as on the Southern Caucasus nations of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Akar said they "stressed the importance of Armenia accepting the hand that has been extended for peace," adding that the discussion was "very positive and constructive."

"We agreed to continue discussions by meeting in Türkiye or the US," he added.

Expressing his satisfaction with the US delegation's visit, Akar said it provided an opportunity for the sides to express themselves face-to-face after a long period.

"We hadn't been able to come together for a while. I hope from now on, for the benefit of our countries, NATO, regional institutions, peace, stability, and for mutual exchange of views and visits for the resolution of some issues between Türkiye and the US in our region, we will continue," Akar said.

He also conveyed his condolences for those who lost their lives in the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.

For his part, the US Armed Services Committee Chairman Rogers said the talks mostly focused on security-related matters, expressing particular interest the in Turkish side's views on how the Russia-Ukraine war could be resolved.

Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan had earlier received the delegation on Thursday, according to the Foreign Ministry. Turkish National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin was also scheduled for a subsequent meeting on Friday with the group of US lawmakers, security sources said.