Ire in Ankara as Canada suspends arms sales to Turkey over Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Turkish foreign ministry accused Canada of a “double-standard approach” on Tuesday after Ottawa suspended its arms sales to Ankara over alleged use of Canadian arms in the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Canada's statement regarding the suspension of the export licenses of some military products to Turkey is an indication of its double-standard approach,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
While Canada does not object to exporting arms to countries involved in the Yemen crisis, it is “blocking the export of defense products to a NATO ally,” the ministry's statement read.
On Monday, Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne released a statement to address "certain allegations have been made regarding Canadian technology being used in the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh."
“In line with Canada’s robust export control regime and due to the ongoing hostilities, I have suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey, so as to allow time to further assess the situation,” Champagne said in the statement.
Champagne has also ordered an investigation into the claims that Canadian technology was used in the conflict, he added.
On September 27, Armenia and Azerbaijan restarted their armed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnically Armenian-majority province that declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991.
Periodic fighting worsened after Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands from both sides until a ceasefire was reached in 1994.
Turkey has openly shown its support for the Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, but denies it has provided any military support during ongoing clashes with Christian-majority Armenia. However, Ankara has said that it is ready to respond to any request from Azerbaijan for support.
Ottawa previously suspended arms sales to Ankara in October 2019, when Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched a military offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The sale of arms resumed in May of this year.
“Canada's statement regarding the suspension of the export licenses of some military products to Turkey is an indication of its double-standard approach,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
While Canada does not object to exporting arms to countries involved in the Yemen crisis, it is “blocking the export of defense products to a NATO ally,” the ministry's statement read.
On Monday, Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne released a statement to address "certain allegations have been made regarding Canadian technology being used in the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh."
“In line with Canada’s robust export control regime and due to the ongoing hostilities, I have suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey, so as to allow time to further assess the situation,” Champagne said in the statement.
Champagne has also ordered an investigation into the claims that Canadian technology was used in the conflict, he added.
On September 27, Armenia and Azerbaijan restarted their armed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnically Armenian-majority province that declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991.
Periodic fighting worsened after Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands from both sides until a ceasefire was reached in 1994.
Turkey has openly shown its support for the Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, but denies it has provided any military support during ongoing clashes with Christian-majority Armenia. However, Ankara has said that it is ready to respond to any request from Azerbaijan for support.
Ottawa previously suspended arms sales to Ankara in October 2019, when Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched a military offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The sale of arms resumed in May of this year.