Turkey, US to overcome F-35 problem: DefMin

Turkey expects that disagreements with the United States over production of F-35 jets will be overcome, its defence minister told Reuters, adding that Ankara remained at the centre of NATO despite criticism from allies of its operation in northern Syria.

Washington began removing Ankara from a joint F-35 production programme after Turkey bought and took delivery in July of Russian S-400 missile defence systems.

The United States says the system is not compatible with North Atlantic Treaty Organization defences, and pose a threat to Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 stealth fighters.

Turkey, which also wanted to buy the jets, has since said it could look elsewhere.

"We hope that we will continue producing them. There are some issues right now, but I believe these issues will be overcome," Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said in an interview on Wednesday.

"We are partners in the production of F-35s, and we have been investing in the project for years, around $1.5 billion... producing some of its parts in Turkey," he added.

Donald Trump imposed sanctions Oct. 14 on Turkey's Defense, and Energy and Natural Resources ministries, as well as Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez.

Trump ordered sanctions on two Turkish ministries and three Turkish ministers be lifted Wednesday following what he said was Turkey's vow to halt its operation in northeast Syria.

Akar rejected criticism that Turkey was drifting away from its Western allies.

"We are at the centre of NATO, and we remain determined to carry out all of our responsibilities fully. We are going nowhere," he said.

Akar added that Turkey had caught around 200 Daesh terrorists in northern Syria during its operations into the area.

"In various ways, we have captured 200 Daesh members," he said. "We are preserving them in the appropriate ways in the appropriate places."