Turkish, U.S. presidents discuss “greater cooperation” over phone
By ISTANBUL, April 24 : (Xinhua) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden agreed on the importance of working together to build “greater cooperation” during a phone conversation, Turkey’s presidential office said Friday.
The cooperation is based on the strategic character of the bilateral relationship and mutual interests, the presidency announced in a written statement. Erdogan emphasized the importance of resolving issues such as the presence of the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen in the United States and Washington’s support for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party and Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party, it said.
Ankara blames Gulen and his network for masterminding the coup bid in July 2016, in which 250 people were killed, and has been pushing for his extradition.
Erdogan and Biden will have their first meeting in June on the sidelines of the NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels, according to the statement. RSS