Turkiye says talks with US on F-16 jets sales 'going on positively'

WASHINGTON 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that talks with the US regarding the sale of F-16 jets to Ankara were on a positive trajectory.

Cavusoglu noted a State Department letter to reporters in New York that addressed the US Congress which said the delivery of the jets "is not only important for Turkiye, but for the US."

"I can say that our negotiations and the meetings are going on positively, and the Congress should work on it as well," said Cavusoglu. "Most of the messages coming from the Congress regarding Turkish and US relations are positive and our diplomats are in close correspondence as with many of the parliamentarians and they have held many meetings.”

He noted that "this positive approach" will continue.

A $6 billion deal would include the sale of 40 newly built F-16V fighter jets and modernization kits for 80 F-16 C/D models that the Turkish Air Forces has in its inventory.

The Turkish government requested the F-16s and modernization kits in October 2021.