Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Turkey's Erdogan says common interests with U.S. outweigh differences

Published 2021-02-20, 12:58 p/m
Updated 2021-02-20, 01:00 p/m
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO:  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party during a meeting in Rize

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party during a meeting in Rize

ANKARA (Reuters) - The common interests of Turkey and the United States outweigh their differences and Ankara wants improved cooperation with Washington, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday striking a rare conciliatory tone.

Ties between the two NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues. In December, the United States sanctioned Turkey for its purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems, while Ankara has been infuriated by U.S. support for the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, which it considers a terrorist organisation.

Turkey, which has said it wants improved ties under U.S. President Joe Biden, has called on Washington to end its support for the YPG and accused it of siding with militants who it says executed 13 Turks in northern Iraq this month, while the United States has criticised Ankara over rights and freedoms.

"As Turkey, we believe our common interests with the United States far outweigh our differences in opinion," Erdogan said in televised comments, adding Ankara wanted to strengthen cooperation through "a long-term perspective on a win-win basis."

"Turkey will continue to do its part in a manner worthy of the allied and strategic partnership ties between the two countries," he said, adding Turkish-U.S. ties had been "seriously tested" recently.

In a phone call this month marking the first official contact since Biden took office, Erdogan's foreign policy adviser Ibrahim Kalin told U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan the S-400 dispute needed resolving.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the S-400 dispute and other disagreements during their first call.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO:  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party during a meeting in Rize

Turkey has hired Washington-based law firm Arnold & Porter to lobby for its readmission into the F-35 jet programme, where it was a buyer and manufacturer, after it was removed by the United States over the S-400s. Washington's claim that the defence systems poses a threat to the F-35s is rejected by Ankara.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.