The United Kingdom is reviewing all weapons exports licenses to Turkey as it faces mounting pressure over its military offensive in northern Syria, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
British ministers have suspended issuing new licenses for arms sales to Turkey while the review is being conducted, the newspaper added.
Italy, the top arms exporter to Turkey last year, also joined a ban on selling weapons and ammunition to Ankara after a weekend decision by France and Germany to suspend sales, and Spain signaled it was ready to do so.
The Czech Republic has also joined other EU member states in halting weapons exports to Turkey over its military offensive in northern Syria, Czech Radio reports.
Interior Minister Jan Hamáček said “all licenses to export weapons and ammunition to Turkey have been suspended and new ones will not be issued until the situation has been cleared up.”
“The Czech Republic is coordinating its steps with its EU partners and is also consulting the matter within the Visegrad Four group of states,” he added.
Czech firms had licences to export arms, ammunition and land vehicles as well as technology for military aircraft to Turkey. Trade and industry Minister Karel Havlíček said the suspension of licences has affected all military exports without exception.
Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček once again urged Turkey to halt the military offensive in northern Syria and open the door to negotiations. The Czech foreign minister summoned the Turkish ambassador to Prague on Monday to table an official protest against Turkey’s actions, noting that while the Czech Republic respects Turkey’s right to defend its border, it strongly opposes the military offensive deep into Syrian territory.
