Obama's envoy says anti-ISIL talks in Ankara 'productive'

Retired general John Allen met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara on Oct. 9. AA Photo

Talks between the United States and Turkey on efforts to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have been "productive," the White House's special envoy for the campaign against the group said on May 16.

"Special Presidential Envoy General John Allen and Deputy Special Presidential Envoy Ambassador Brett McGurk had productive talks with Under Secretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu in Ankara on our counter-ISIL cooperation," the statement released by U.S. Embassy in Ankara said.

"General Allen, Ambassador McGurk and Under Secretary Sinirlioğlu discussed a number of ways in which the United States and Turkey can broaden and deepen our cooperation on counter-ISIL efforts, including on countering the flow of foreign fighters," it added.

According to the statement, General Allen thanked Turkey for supporting the train and equip program for Syrian opposition fighters. It stressed that opposition fighters will be trained and equipped to fight ISIL, as well as to "promote the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria."

Ankara had avoided becoming a fully fledged part of the anti-ISIL coalition unless Washington agrees to adopt an “integrated strategy” for Syria including the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.