ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday denounced sanctions imposed by the United States on Turkey for buying and testing Russian air defense system and called for resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy instead of coercion.

“Pakistan is deeply concerned on the imposition of sanctions on Turkey by the United States,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The United States had imposed sanctions on Turkey for procuring and testing the Russian S-400 air defense system. Turkey had received the first of the S-400 deliveries in July and tested the system in October.

Under the sanctions targeting Turkey’s Presidency of Defence Industries, which is the lead agency on military hardware acquisitions, the officials concerned will face US visa restrictions and their financial assets in the US will be frozen.

Pakistan, the FO said, remains opposed to imposition of unilateral coercive measures against any country in principle. “The solution to all issues lies in dialogue, diplomacy and mutual understanding,” it added.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2020