Türkiye, US can solve bilateral problems, develop cooperation: Erdoğan

NEW YORK

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he hopes Türkiye and the United States will be able to resolve bilateral problems and develop cooperation based on common interests.

“There is no problem between Türkiye and the U.S. that they, as two strategic partners and 70-year-long allies, cannot resolve. Although we have some differences of opinion over the issues concerning our national security, we share similar attitudes in many regional and global matters,” Erdoğan said on Sept. 18 at a dinner event organized by the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC).

Stating that Türkiye is one of the countries most affected by terrorism and at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, Erdoğan said they would continue to resolutely fight against all terrorist organizations, including PKK-YPG, ISIL and FETÖ, without making any distinction.

“We will definitely remove the bloody and dark shadow of terrorism from our region,” he said.

The president said Türkiye expected the U.S. to act in cooperation in its fight against the PKK-YPG and FETÖ in a manner befitting the spirit of the alliance.

“We are meticulously carrying out our initiatives before the American authorities to bring the FETÖ ringleader and members of the organization to Turkish justice,” he stated.

“Be it funding, be it land forces, Türkiye is one of the top five most important partners that provide this support in NATO. Therefore, Türkiye’s position should be well understood, well-known, and decisions and steps should be taken accordingly,” Erdoğan stated

Erdogan also said that Türkiye and the U.S. have similar stands on many regional and global issues despite differences on issues about Ankara’s national security, adding that he and U.S. President Joe Biden have agreed to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between their nations.

Elaborating on the war between Russia and Ukraine, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue efforts to end the war through diplomacy and eliminate its regional and global impacts.

“The Istanbul Agreement, which was achieved as a result of our efforts with the U.N. to export Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, is the most concrete example of these efforts,” the president said.

“We want to translate the positive climate we have achieved here into a cease-fire and then lasting peace,” he added.

Türkiye, the U.N., Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were stalled after the Russia-Ukraine war.

There has been an increase in hate speech, Islamophobia and prejudices against Muslims around the world, Erdoğan stressed, saying the Turkish-American community and Muslim Americans were sometimes subjected to such attacks.

He also urged the U.S. to take “strong” precautions against the “distorted mentality” that likens Islam to terrorism and hatred against Muslims.