Erdoğan, Trump to ‘talk all issues’ at UN general assembly

Vahap Munyar - ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will speak key issues with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, which will convene later this month. 

“We have agreed that it would be beneficial to talk all issues face-to-face,” Erdoğan told journalists on Sept. 10 on his way back from Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, while responding to a question over his telephone conversation with the U.S. president on Sept. 9. 

During the conversation, both leaders emphasized the significance of a continued cooperation for further strengthening bilateral relations and increasing stability in the region, a statement from the Turkish Presidency said. 

The White House also stated that the two leaders discussed working more closely to improve regional security.

“We touched on the need to strengthen mutual relations,” Erdoğan said on the plane. 

“We mentioned that the two countries are strategic partners and this should be reflected on the relations. We also spoke on regional issues. We spoke about Myanmar,” Erdoğan said, referring to ongoing violence Rohingya Muslims are facing in the southeastern Asian country.

“I told Mr. Trump during the phone talk that the U.S. sensibility over the Rakhine people is important to us.

This was followed by a positive statement by the U.S. State Department. This shows that they have started becoming interested in the issue,” Erdoğan said. 

“I will bring the issue to the agenda at the U.N. General Assembly,” he said.