US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Turkey and all US allies should refrain from buying more Russian weapons, at the risk of more sanctions being imposed.
Frayed relations between the US and Nato ally Turkey were further tested at the weekend after President Joe Biden recognised the Armenian massacres in 1915 as genocide, infuriating Ankara.
Mr Blinken said that given Mr Biden's long-standing views on the Armenian issue, his decision should not have been a surprise.
He also repeated that Turkey was a critical Nato ally and expressed his hope that the two sides could resolve their issues.
But he warned Ankara and others not to buy more military equipment from Russia. Turkey has said it is in talks with Russia for a second batch of S-400 air-defence missiles.
"Any significant transactions with Russian defence entities, again, could be subject to the law, to CAATSA, and that's separate from and in addition to the sanctions that have already been imposed," Mr Blinken said.
He was referring to the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act, which is designed to dissuade countries from buying military equipment from Russia.
US-Turkish relations have been strained over issues such as Turkey's purchase of S-400s, making it a target for US sanctions, and policy differences on Syria, human rights and a US court case focused on Turkey's majority state-owned Halkbank.
Washington in December imposed sanctions on Turkey for buying the Russian air defence system.
Ankara has expressed anger that the US armed Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria and has not extradited a cleric living in the US, who Turkey has accused of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.
Mr Biden, in his first call as president with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, told him about his decision on the Armenian genocide.
Mr Blinken said the two leaders had a "good conversation" and that Mr Biden was looking forward to meeting Mr Erdogan in June at the Nato summit.
Turkey's presidential spokesman said on Sunday that Mr Biden's genocide declaration was "simply outrageous" and Turkey would respond over the coming months.
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
