UPDATE - ‘Turkey should not backtrack on purchase of S-400’

UPDATE WITH MORE QUOTES

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey should not backtrack on the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense system, the head of Grand Unity Party said Wednesday.

"Turkey should bring S-400s to the country as it was announced before," Mustafa Destici said, while speaking to reporters at the Turkish parliament.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have escalated in recent months over Ankara’s purchase of S-400 systems, which Washington said will jeopardize Turkey's role in the F-35 fighter jet program and could trigger sanctions.

During last week’s G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said U.S. President Donald Trump told him there would be no sanctions against Turkey after it received the S-400 defense systems, which are expected to be delivered later in July.

At the summit, Trump blamed the standoff on then-President Barack Obama's refusal to sell Patriot missiles to Turkey, and said Turkey had not been treated fairly.

Commenting on Trump's remarks, Destici said the U.S. president’s comment did not mean that Washington has shown flexibility on the S-400 air defense system.

Destici claimed that the U.S. would force Turkey to give up purchase of the air defense system.

"Turkey should resist it," he added.

Destici also joined the debate on the presidential system in Turkey and said the country could not return to the former parliamentary system.

"The system has been changed, it is over, it is impossible for us to return to old system," he added.

However, head of the Grand Unity Party said, Turkish parliament can eliminate the shortcomings of the new presidential system by forming a committee.

"We are in a transition period, it is impossible to return to the former system," he stressed.

In April 2017, Turkish people voted to switch Turkey from a parliamentary system to an executive presidential system of governance.

The BBP had campaigned for the changes.