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U.S. Concerned as Turkey Selects Sanctioned Chinese Firm for Missile Defense System
(Al Arabiya) Mahir Zeynalov - Turkey has selected a Chinese firm under U.S. sanctions to build its long-range air and missile defense system. Both NATO and Washington expressed deep concerns and warned that the system will not be interoperable with the alliance's missile defense umbrella. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki publicly expressed her country's concerns to Turkey. Turkey's Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said on Saturday the reasons that motivated Turkey to select the Chinese firm were technology transfer, co-production, quick delivery and low cost. The Wall Street Journal published a lengthy profile of Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan on Oct. 10, citing senior Western and Middle East officials who accused him of passing classified U.S. intelligence to Iran and tolerating and arming radical groups in Syria.