Turkey on Tuesday accused Canada of double standards after Ottawa suspended arms exports to Turkey as it investigates the use of Canadian technology in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“Our expectation from Canada, is to lead a policy that stays away from double standards, to act without falling under the influence of anti-Turkish groups in the country and without being trapped by narrow political interests,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced Monday that he has suspended export permits to Turkey, which is backing Azerbaijan in the conflict, in line with Canada’s export control regime.
Project Ploughshares, a Canadian arms control group, said video of air strikes released by Baku indicates the drones had been equipped with imaging and targeting systems made by L3Harris Wescam, the Canada-based unit of L3Harris Technologies Inc LHX.N.
“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,” said Champagne.
The Globe and Mail said L3Harris Wescam had received permission this year to ship seven systems to Turkish drone maker Baykar.
Turkey is a key ally of Azerbaijan, whose forces are fighting Armenians over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, Reuters reported.
Separately, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters he had asked Champagne to travel to Europe “to discuss with our allies the developments in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh”.
He did not give more details and an aide to Champagne said the exact itinerary had not yet been worked out.
