Mnuchin defends delay in sanctions against Turkey: 'This is a complicated, developing situation'

Source: The Hill | October 13, 2019 | Kyle Balluck

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Sunday defended a delay in imposing sanctions on Turkey, saying the Trump administration is ready to move forward “at a moment’s notice” over Ankara’s military action in northern Syria.

“You announced Friday that you now have the authority to impose sanctions on Turkey for what we’re seeing unfold,” host John Karl said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“Given that we’ve already seen — a hundred thousand people reportedly displaced, these ISIS prisoners out, set loose, execution of some of America’s Kurdish allies, what is the holdup? Why don’t you just impose these sanctions?” Karl asked.

“Let me just say this is a complicated, developing situation. You have a NATO ally on one hand fighting against the Kurds who were helping us with the fight against ISIS. We are in daily communications with Turkey, both at the Defense Department, the State Department, on very specific issues. We are ready to go at a moment’s notice to put on sanctions,” Mnuchin replied.

“And as I’ve said, these sanctions could be starting small, they could be maximum pressure which would destroy the Turkish economy,” he said, adding that President Trump is “very focused” on the issue and stressing that events are developing.

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