Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed a range of issues over the phone on Tuesday, including the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine row, Anadolu reports.
Çavuşoğlu also told his counterpart about Turkey’s attempts to reduce the tension between Russia and Ukraine through dialogue, said a statement by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry.
On developments in northern Syria, along Turkey’s southern border, Çavuşoğlu also pointed to the separatist activities of the terrorist YPG/PKK and its attacks on local civilian. He said Turkey’s fight against this terrorist group will continue with determination.
US support for the terrorist YPG/PKK, said to be for the purpose of fighting ISIS terrorists, has long been a bone of contention between Washington and Ankara. Turkey argues that using one terror group to fight another makes no sense.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the group’s Syrian branch.
The two diplomats also discussed the latest developments in the Caucasus and the ongoing rapprochement process between Turkey and Armenia.
Çavuşoğlu also invited Blinken to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum set to be held in southern Turkey on March 11-13.
