Erdoğan hopes for speedy progress in Turkey-US ties under Trump

ANKARA

AP photo

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has admitted strains in ties between Turkey and the United States, while calling on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to contribute to progress in relations. 

“We are passing through a very sensitive period in our ties,” Erdoğan said, blasting the Obama administration’s “wrong choices” in the fight against ISIL in Syria.

“We want to see the U.S. siding with us against terrorism in a strong, devoted manner. I believe we will sort these out through dialogue with the Trump administration after Jan. 20. I am sure we will make progress quickly,” he added during a speech to Turkish ambassadors on Jan. 9.

“I believe we will reach a unity of understanding with Mr. Trump, particularly in regional issues, and make progress,” Erdoğan said. 

Turkey wants the United States to extradite the Pennsylvania-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, the alleged mastermind of the failed July 2016 coup attempt, while also ceasing cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) due to its links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).