Turkey eyes predictable ties with new US administration

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has underlined that the Turkish government wants "predictable" bilateral ties and a good dialogue with the new U.S. administration despite existing problems between the two allies, including Turkey's purchase of the S-400 systems from Russia and continued American support to the YPG in eastern Syria

"We want predictable ties with the U.S. in the new era. Resolving problems will make our ties healthier although we know that solving all these problems at once is not easy. But we should at least agree to disagree on these issues," Çavuşoğlu told Ankara bureau chiefs at a year-end press conference in Ankara on Dec. 30.

The top three issues Çavuşoğlu listed were Turkey's acquisition of the S-400s from Russia, the U.S. support to the YPG in Syria and its refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen.

Formal relations with the new administration will be established following the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the U.S. on Jan. 20, Çavuşoğlu informed, reiterating Ankara's readiness to open a new chapter with Washington.

"We want to be in good dialogue and cooperation with the new administration in 2021. We hope they will also pursue the same understanding," he said. The minister also informed that the two countries have agreed to carry out technical talks over the sanctions imposed by Washington on Ankara because of its purchase of S-400s air defense systems from Russia.

"I would ask what disturbs the U.S. on ties with Turkey apart from the S-400s? And they know why we had to buy these systems. But we are disturbed by the U.S. support to the YPG, a terror group. We are also disturbed by the fact that the leader of FETÖ is still there [in the U.S.]," Çavuşoğlu stated.

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