Turkey imported arms worth $206 million (184.1 million euros) from Germany in the first four months of this year, according to government statistics.
This again makes Ankara by far Germany’s top recipient of arms exports, the Federal Economics Ministry said in response to a query made by Sevim Dagdelen, a federal lawmaker from the Left party.
According to this information, the exports were limited to “goods for the maritime sector’’.
Presumably, this means material for six class-214 submarines, which are being built in Turkey with significant participation of the German concern ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
Dagdelen called continuing arms deliveries to Turkey “irresponsible”.
“Arms exports to the authoritarian regime of Turkey must be stopped, both permits and actual exports,’’ Dagdelen asserted.
Also on Friday, Turkey received the first batch of Russia’s S-400 missile defence system, the Defence Ministry said, in spite repeated warnings from its NATO ally U.S. against the purchase.
“The delivery of the first shipment of parts of the S-400 long range regional air missile defence system began as of July 12 to Murted air base in Ankara,’’ the ministry said in a statement.
The delivery, which was made by plane, is likely to escalate tensions with the U.S. (dpa/Reuters)