Turkish president, Albanian PM discuss fighting terrorism

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday held a telephone conversation with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, and discussed bilateral relations and regional and global issues, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said.

Erdoğan said Türkiye-Albania relationship is at an advanced level, and that defense industry cooperation will be further strengthened through commercial, economic, and military contacts.

The Turkish leader referred to frustrating efforts by the FETÖ Terrorist Organization to gain a foothold in Albania, expressing confidence that the Balkan country would continue to work towards eliminating the group's structure in its education, health, and religious sectors.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fethullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.