Mnuchin attends a committee hearing in Washington, DC. (File photo: AFP)
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday that the Trump administration is keeping a list of Turkish sanctions targets ready if needed, but so far is pleased with the ceasefire in Syria that caused prior sanctions to be lifted.
Mnuchin said in an interview in Saudi Arabia that the listof additional targets was developed for Vice President Mike Pence to take to Ankara to negotiate the cease-fire. He added that had the talks not been successful, the financial sanctions would have been imposed.
“The answer is, we still have that list. I have no reason to expect that we’ll need to use them,” Mnuchin said. “I think we are pleased with the way that this is working.”
On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly for a resolution calling on President Donald Trump to impose sanctions and other restrictions on Turkey and Turkish officials over its offensive in northern Syria.
