Bipartisan Legislation Would Sanction Turkish Officials, Block US Exports

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., agreed to support legislation that would impose sanctions on Turkey unless the Trump administration certifies every 90 days that Turkey is not operating in Syria, according to a framework of the sanctions released Oct. 9. The legislation would sanction all U.S. assets belonging to Turkey’s top officials, including its president, vice president and ministers of defense, foreign affairs, treasury, trade and energy. It would also block U.S. defense exports to Turkey's military and impose sanctions on any foreign person or entity that sells to Turkey’s military or energy sector.

Turkey’s July purchase of Russian S-400 missile parts (see 1907150039) would also be classified as a “significant transaction” under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, the framework says, and would cause sanctions to be implemented within 180 days from the classification date. Certain sales would be exempted from sanctions, including transactions related to humanitarian aid, medical assistance, “democracy promotion / election assistance” and intelligence sharing.

The two senators announced the framework as Turkey launched a military operation in northern Syria against Kurdish militants. In a statement, Graham said he expects “strong bipartisan support” for the bill when it is proposed in the Senate after the current recess. “Most Members of Congress believe it would be wrong to abandon the Kurds who have been strong allies against ISIS.”