Turkish officials said Washington had expressed discomfort at several meetings, but the Ethiopian military and government did not respond to requests for detailed comment. A senior Turkish official said the Foreign Ministry had investigated how drone sales would affect US foreign policy as part of its 2022 budget plan. “The United States has expressed discomfort with Turkey’s drone sales … but Turkey will continue to follow policies set in this area,” he told Reuters. Ethiopia also purchased a drone from the United Arab Emirates, but did not respond to requests for comment on US concerns. In October, a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said Ethiopia was free to procure drones from anywhere.

Source: Ethiopian News December 22, 2021 20:20 UTC