Turkey says it expects issues poisoning ties with U.S. to be addressed

[November 10, 2020]    ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey expects issues poisoning ties with the United States to be addressed, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday, adding the search for solutions to conflicts in Syria and Libya were presenting new opportunities to improve ties.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is pictured during a news conference in Ankara, Turkey October 13, 2020. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Ankara has been at odds with its NATO ally Washington over issues including policy differences in Syria and its purchase of Russian missile defences. As a result, the United States removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet programme, saying the Russian systems put the jets in jeopardy.

Speaking to Turkish ambassadors in Ankara, Cavusoglu said the purchase of the Russian S-400 systems was "done", adding that Turkey's removal from the F-35 programme would negatively impact NATO's defence strategy.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Can Sezer; Editing by Dominic Evans)

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