Erdogan sees advantage with U.S. senator Menendez troubles -media

Turkey needs to turn U.S. Senator Bob Menendez's legal challenges into opportunity for its requested purchase of F-16 fighter jets from Washington, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, Turkish media reported. Speaking with reporters aboard a flight, Erdogan was quoted as saying that Menendez is now "out of the picture" after being charged taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen.

Turkey needs to turn U.S. Senator Bob Menendez's legal challenges into opportunity for its requested purchase of F-16 fighter jets from Washington, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, Turkish media reported. Speaking with reporters aboard a flight, Erdogan was quoted as saying that Menendez is now "out of the picture" after being charged taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen. This is "advantageous" for Turkey, he added.

Menendez, Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long opposed the potential sale of F-16s to Turkey and criticised Erdogan's record on human rights.