Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey has been blocked by rising civil unrest from reaching decisions on major defense procurement and development programs.

Turkish sources said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has been unable to maintain deadlines for military and security force programs.

The sources cited the failure of the Defense Industry Executive Committee, chaired by Erdogan, to decide on procurement.

“The government, and particularly the prime minister, has been swamped with crises,” a source said.

On Feb. 25, Erdogan canceled a meeting of the defense committee. The sources said the prime minister pleaded fatigue among a government-wide corruption scandal that included his son.

“He demanded a rest,” Turkey’s CNNTurk news channel reported.

The latest defense committee meeting had been expected to decide
Turkey’s indigenous fighter-jet program as well as the selection of a
Chinese ballistic missile defense system. Ankara has been under heavy
pressure from NATO to cancel the selection of China’s HQ-9.

The sources said Erdogan has not deemed defense procurement a
priority. They said the prime minister has ensured progress in current
programs while stalling on the BMD, fighter-jet, main battle tank and
surface vessel projects.

“Erdogan’s priority is to restore some stability to the government,” the
source said. “The rest can wait.”

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