Mike Pompeo

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to destabilize the Mediterranean, pointing to a series of actions in countries that include Greece and Cyprus.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Washington's decision to sanction its NATO ally Turkey over its purchase of Russian defences in a phone call on Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday the United States has made clear to Turkey that its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems would endanger the security of US military technology and personnel.

Pompeo said he has urged Turkey to resolve the S-400 issue in co-ordination with the United States.

Turkish authorities on Friday issued a navigational for firing exercises in the Mediterranean, in an area between the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo.

The Navtex reserves the area for December 9 and 10, which will coincide with a European Council summit on December 10 and 11 during which possible sanctions against Ankara will be discussed.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used his final NATO meeting this week to sharply criticize Turkey, saying its purchase of a Russian weapons system was "a gift" to Moscow, according to five diplomats and officials.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Turkey for opposing the principles and operation of NATO and undermining its cohesion during a Foreign Ministers' teleconference on Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources.

They met in the presence of US Secretary of State Pompeo

Turkey's foreign minister will pay official visits to the Caribbean region next week, the ministry said on Aug. 14. 

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will attend the inauguration Sunday of Dominican Republic's President-elect Luis Abinader Corona, according to a statement that said Abinader will receive Çavuşoğlu after the ceremony.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, CNN quoted acting assistant secretary of state Michael Kozak as saying on Friday. 

The meeting would follow Pompeo's talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in Vienna on Friday which focused on Turkish aggression in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The European Union should reassess its relations with Turkey in light of a series of recent events, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said on Friday, citing special concern about the situation in the eastern Mediterranean.