New Turkish envoy sees good prospects for ties with US

Turkey and the U.S. stand to benefit from reinvigorated diplomatic relations, Turkey's recently appointed envoy told Anadolu Agency amid significant differences between the NATO allies.

In an interview, Ambassador Hasan Murat Mercan, who took office last month, said the two nations should adopt a "realist but positive" approach towards Turkish-American relations and pledged to work to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

"Turkey is much stronger with its military power, cultural history and human infrastructure when compared to other countries in the region. There may be cyclic ups and downs in Turkish-American relations. This is very natural.

"But when you look at long-term relations, we should see what the mutual interests are between the two nations. Let's continue to talk about the existing problems, but those problems should not poison our cooperation in other areas," said Mercan.

"If we focus on existing problems, only develop strategies to solve those problems and put our relations into this framework, we will not be able to make much progress," he added.

He said Turkey and the U.S. are the two key countries that have a longstanding alliance relationship and are members of transatlantic solidarity.

Mercan said cooperation on regional stability and development focused on common interests will be important both for Turkey and the U.S.

"Given that, I propose moving ahead together. When we do that, the problem of trust will disappear by itself," he added.

Relations between Turkey and the U.S. have been running tense over a range of issues, including U.S. support for the PKK terror group's Syrian branch the PYD-YPG, its inaction against FETÖ and Ankara's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile...