Turkey sacks defense official involved in China missile talks

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has removed Murad Bayar, Defence Ministry undersecretary for the state-run defence industries, from his post with immediate effect, the official gazette showed on Thursday. The ministry did not give a reason for the decision. Bayar had been influential in Turkey's negotiations with China over the procurement of a missile defence system. Turkey's NATO allies voiced concern when it said in September it had chosen China's FD-2000 missile defence system over rival offers from the Franco/Italian Eurosam SAMP/T and U.S.-listed Raytheon Co. It said China had offered the most competitive terms and would allow co-production in Turkey. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Kevin Liffey)