April 13, Canadian Foreign Minister Mark Gano announced that Canada had cancelled its export license to Turkish military products and technologies. Last October, Canada suspended the export of weapons and technology to Turkey because Azerbaijan used Canadian technology exported to Turkey in the Nakaa conflict.
According to an report by the Turkish Annadolu News Agency on the 12th, Gano said in a statement on the same day, “The Global Affairs Department of Canada and the Ministry of Defense have carefully reviewed all valid and suspended export licenses to Turkish military products and technologies. After this review, there is reliable evidence that Canada exports to Turkey. Ear’s technology is used in the Naka conflict.”
“This use is not in line with Canada’s foreign policy and Turkey’s end-use guarantee.” “Today, I’m announcing the cancellation of export permits suspended in the fall of 2020,” said Gano.
According to Reuters on the 12th, the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa said in a statement, “We hope that NATO allies will avoid taking destructive steps that will adversely affect our bilateral relations and undermine the unity of the alliance.”
Last October, Canada’s Foreign Ministry announced that Canada suspended the export of some drone technology to Turkey while Canada investigated whether the relevant technology was used by the Azerbaijani army in the conflict with Armenia.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry responded at the time that Canada’s decision highlighted Canada’s double standard approach, because Canada restricted the export of defense equipment to a NATO ally, “but never explained the harm of exporting weapons to countries militarily involved in the Yemen crisis.”
