(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Turkey is not joining the sanctions imposed by the West on
Russia and Russian oligarchs, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu
has reiterated, stressing that Russian business people can come to
Turkey for business provided it is not in violation of
international law, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily
News .
“So if you mean that these oligarchs can do any business in
Turkey, then of course, if it is legal and is not against
international law, I will consider,” Cavushoglu said at a panel of
Doha Forum in Doha over the weekend.
Cavushoglu was responding to a question by CNBC's Hadley Gamble
whether the Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the West could choose
Turkey for investment and businesses. The minister said Russians
can travel to Turkey, be it for tourism or business, but stressed
that these business activities should be legal.
“We implement U.N.-approved sanctions, so if any Russian
citizens want to visit Turkey, of course, they can visit Turkey.
Now Russians are coming to Turkey, that's no problem,” he said.“If
it is against international law, then that's another story,” the
minister added.
Cavushoglu also answered a question over speculations that
Turkey could send its S-400 air defense systems to Ukraine. Turkey
had deployed the Russian air defense systems in mid-2019 at the
expense of drawing criticisms from NATO allies and being subject to
Washington's sanctions.
The minister denied the rumors and repeated that the S-400s
would continue to be deployed in the Turkish territories. He also
recalled that Turkey had to purchase these systems from Russia only
after its demands to acquire such weapons were denied by the allied
countries.
“We prefer to purchase them from the United States and from our
allies. And if we cannot purchase from our allies, then I have to
find another source,” he said, expressing regret over the length of
time a deal between Turkey and its European neighbors has
taken.
“Our region is not a safe haven ... so in this case, we are
still working on other alternatives,” he said.“My country is a
sovereign country, and I have to protect my country, and I have to
purchase my needs from any possible country,” he added.
Cavushoglu reiterated Turkey's continued efforts for peaceful
resolution of the problems between Russia and Ukraine, vowing more
diplomacy is needed to end the armed conflict.
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