Türkiye, US resume stalled counterterrorism talks

ANKARA

Türkiye and the United States have agreed to resume "counterterrorism consultations" and establish a dialogue on defense industry cooperation, according to a joint statement released on March 9 following talks between the country's top diplomats.

The progress came after high-level talks between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on March 7-8.

The "strategic mechanism" meetings were aimed to address a multitude of issues straining relations between Ankara and Washington. The discussions yielded progress on reviving dialogue in several key areas, including counterterrorism, defense cooperation and economic ties.

Both sides committed to expanding a recent "positive agenda" by taking concrete steps in a range of areas. This would encompass increased trade cooperation, collaboration on energy security and climate change initiatives and fostering closer people-to-people ties.

"At this juncture, there's an opportunity to move forward by opening a new chapter in our relationship, marked by a renewed spirit and a more positive agenda," Fidan said at a press conference after the talks.

"It is important to manage the problems we are currently experiencing, while at the same time realizing the common potential and opportunities that both countries can explore."

The resumption of counterterrorism consultations specifically targets bolstering cooperation against threats to national security and tackling networks involved in organized crime and drug trafficking, according to the joint statement.

A longstanding source of tension has been U.S. collaboration with the YPG in Syria, which Türkiye views as a terrorist organization linked to the PKK. The joint statement also reaffirmed a shared commitment to fighting ISIL and al-Qaida.

Another significant outcome concerns the defense industry. Türkiye's acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system in 2019 led to its removal from the F-35 joint strike fighter program.

While the recent sale of F-16 jets to Türkiye signaled a thaw in relations, the two sides agreed to maintain contact and ensure the positive atmosphere extends to broader defense cooperation.

Accordingly, a Türkiye-U.S. Defense Trade Dialogue meeting will be held later this year to explore potential avenues for collaboration in this strategically important sector, the statement said.

Fidan expressed optimism regarding a possible return to the F-35 program, stating, "We believe we can discuss these issues from different perspectives. We think the U.S. should also be open-minded on this issue."

The finalized F-16 deal, valued at $23 billion, will see Türkiye acquiring 40 new F-16s alongside upgrades to 79 of its existing fleet, following the recent approval from the U.S. Congress.

The Biden administration's notification came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed off on Sweden's accession to NATO – a development that caps off more than a year of negotiations.