Turkey will speak to any bidders, including Russia, on missile system: official

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey will speak with all interested parties, including Russia, over its plans to develop a long-range missile defence system, a top defence official said on Tuesday.

NATO member Turkey last year cancelled a $3.4 billion tender for such a system, after it had been provisionally awarded to China, a move that had stirred concern from the United States and other Western allies.

Ismail Demir, Turkey's undersecretary for defence industries, told a news conference in Ankara that Turkey was willing to speak any interested parties, including Russia and previous bidders.

He also said Turkey was in the final stages of evaluating a renewed offer from automotive manufacturer Otokar for its Altay tank project.

(Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz, Can Sezer and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Nick Tattersall)

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