At a time of lukewarm relations, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled to fly to the United States on May 9, upon invitation of his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, Turkish media retailers reported. This would be the first time he will likely be within the White House underneath the Biden administration.
Türkiye and the United States are two historic allies although their ties deteriorated over disagreements over a string of points. Diplomatic ties stay sturdy and the 2 leaders sometimes talked to one another over the telephone, however their final in-person assembly was final July, throughout a NATO summit. The identical occasion centered on Sweden’s NATO membership, one thing Türkiye initially opposed. After Türkiye’s approval of the accession, ties regained momentum. Most not too long ago, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın held talks within the United States. Their go to is seen as a preparatory assembly for Biden-Erdoğan talks.
Erdoğan and Biden could have rather a lot to speak about however the scenario in Gaza and protection cooperation, in addition to the combat in opposition to terrorism, are all anticipated to be sizzling matters, Turkish media reported. Erdoğan will reiterate Türkiye’s name for an finish to Israel’s assaults in Gaza and discovering an answer to the Palestinian-Israeli battle solely based mostly on a two-state answer.
The Turkish president has lengthy been crucial of the U.S. stance on the Palestinian-Israeli battle, significantly Washington’s unconditional help of the Netanyahu administration, which he accused of committing crimes in opposition to harmless Palestinians. In February, Erdoğan informed journalists that the peace course of within the battle did not bear fruit as a result of detrimental strategy of the United States.
Biden and Erdoğan may even talk about the Turkish acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the United States, in addition to the modernization technique of jets Türkiye already bought.
On Jan. 27, the U.S. State Department permitted the pending $23 billion (TL 718.16 billion) sale of F-16 plane and modernization kits to Türkiye after Ankara greenlighted Sweden’s NATO membership. Türkiye, in October 2021, requested 40 new F-16 Block 70 plane and 79 modernization kits from the U.S. to improve its remaining F-16s to Block 70 degree. Türkiye was a part of the F-35 program earlier than its participation was suspended over a dispute about Ankara shopping for the S-500 Russian air protection system after its efforts to purchase U.S. Patriot missiles had been rebuffed. A senior U.S. diplomat not too long ago appeared to open the door to Türkiye maybe becoming a member of the F-35 program if the dispute had been resolved.
Erdoğan’s talks may even focus on Türkiye’s disappointment in U.S. help for the YPG, the Syrian department of the PKK terrorist group, which has killed 1000’s in Türkiye over the previous 4 many years.
Earlier this month, Turkish officers reiterated a name to the United States to finish its help for the YPG, after a high-level U.S. go to to the terrorist group.
“The U.S. continues to support the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization under the pretext of fighting against Daesh. It is not possible to fight a terrorist organization using another terrorist organization. So the fight against terrorism cannot be done with terrorists,” a Defense Ministry supply informed reporters.
In late February, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Cmdr. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla visited the al-Hol and al-Roj camps for displaced folks in Syria, the place the YPG/PKK terrorist group holds the households of Daesh terrorists. “Our expectation from friendly and allied countries is to stop aid and support to the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization and to provide sincere support to our fight against terrorism,” the supply stated.
The PKK/YPG has grown stronger within the area, significantly in Deir el-Zour province, dwelling to Syria’s largest oil wells, due to materials help from the United States.
The challenge strains Turkish-U.S. ties as Ankara warns its NATO ally in opposition to aiding terror parts that threaten its nationwide safety, one thing Washington continues to do regardless of promising to take away the group from the Turkish border space.
“We keep our will to create a 30 to 40-kilometer-deep (19 to 25-mile-deep) safety hall alongside our Syrian border. We are decided to fill the gaps on this hall with new steps, a part of which we’ve got already established with our earlier operations,” Erdoğan stated in statements earlier this month.
“As we’ve got overtly informed them in individual, we name on all within the area to respect this safety technique of ours. Otherwise, they themselves would be the cause for potential tensions. We have preparations that can trigger new nightmares to those that assume they will deliver Türkiye to its knees by establishing a ‘terroristan’ alongside our southern borders,” the president warned.
Türkiye continues common operations in opposition to the PKK/YPG presence in Syria. Ankara has launched a trio of profitable counterterrorism operations since 2016 throughout its border in northern Syria to forestall the formation of a terror hall and allow the peaceable settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018 and Peace Spring in 2019 – operations that the U.S. opposed.
Source: www.dailysabah.com