ANKARA: Turkey is considering retaliatory measures against the United States should Washington impose taxes on its steel exports, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekçi said, raising the prospect of further political tensions between the two NATO allies.
“If they (Turkish producers) complain about U.S. measures, then we will look at the situation and are more likely to take retaliatory measures,” Zeybekçi said late on Tuesday, according to Turkey’s government-run news agency, Anadolu.
The U.S. Department of Commerce released recommendations to President Donald Trump last week for new restrictions on steel imports. The options include a blanket 24 percent tax on all imports and a minimum 53 percent tariff on products from 12 countries including Turkey, China, Russia and Brazil. Turkey already feels singled out by possible U.S. measures against its financial system, U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish militia and over arms exports.
Regulators in Washington are considering financial penalties against at least one Turkish bank for contravening sanctions on Iran. Western countries including the United States are also limiting the sale of some weapons to Turkey, including guns for government bodyguards, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said. Congress is also being asked to consider barring Turkey from purchasing F-35 steatlh aircraft. Trump, seeking to grow the domestic steel workforce, has until April 11 to decide the course of action. “Substantial tariffs” were a possibility, he told lawmakers on Tuesday, according to Business Insider.
