In favour of maintaining the CAATSA sanctions against her Turkey, was the US Secretary of State-designate Anthony Blinken. During the hearing in the of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the confirmation of his appointment, Mr. Bliken assessed that sanctions should continue until their effectiveness is assessed. In this light, he fired back against the Ankara for the acquisition of the Russian system S-400, leaving open the possibility of taking new measures where it is considered that the existing sanctions have not produced the desired results.
«Seeing the CAATSA sanctions, what Turkey has done as an ally in the NATO to procure S-400 is unacceptable. The idea that one of our so-called strategic partners would be aligned with our biggest strategic competitor is not acceptable. We will have to see the effect of the existing sanctions and determine whether more needs to be done,» he said.
In the hearing, the leading role was played by Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who is expected to take over soon Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Democratic senator asked Blinken if the new administration has a clear position on Turkey under Tayyip Erdogan, with the Secretary of State nominee responding that «ultimately Turkey is an ally country that in many cases positions itself in a way that is not befitting of an ally. This is a very substantial challenge for us and we are clear about that.’.
Continuing, the US senator linked Turkey to the North Korea and the Russia, stressing that these are countries that need immediate attention. On Ankara's regional moves, he underlined its destabilizing role, saying that «Turkey continues to destabilize by supporting the aggression of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh and through her own aggressive behavior in Eastern Mediterranean, against our democratic allies Greece and Cyprus». Furthermore, he expressed the hope that the new US administration would take a strong stance:
- on the issue of the purchase of S-400
- to destabilizing actions in the Syria
- the invasion of the territorial waters of Cyprus
- in claiming an entire region of the Greek EEZ until Libya
- to the support provided by the Erdogan in Azerbaijan and its involvement and aggressive action in Nagorno Karabakh
Finally, Mr Menendez expressed the hope that the President Biden will recognize the Armenian Genocide, as was done by a large majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives. «It is a proper action to take. I find it inappropriate for our ambassadors in Armenia to go to the commemorations of the Genocide, but not to find the word,» he said.
