Posted on 02/16/2018 9:59:00 AM PST by Texas Fossil
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The United States and Turkey pulled back from the brink of a potentially disastrous crisis on Friday, agreeing to normalize badly strained relations over Syria and other issues that had threatened the NATO allies' longstanding ties.
However, details of the rapprochement were vague as the two sides agreed in principle only to form working groups that will begin meeting within the month to examine points of contention and try to resolve them.
After talks in Ankara, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced the creation of new "mechanisms" to improve the relationship, starting with the question of American support for Kurdish rebels in northern Syria.
Those talks followed a lengthy meeting of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Cavusoglu and Tillerson late Thursday at which a broad range of disagreements were covered.
In addition to Syria, those included Ankara's complaints against a U.S.-based Turkish cleric whom Erdogan accuses of fomenting a failed 2016 coup, U.S. concerns about the state of Turkey's democracy and opposition to Turkey's planned purchase of a Russian air defense system.
"We brought forward proposals on how we can address all of the critical issues that are standing between our countries," Tillerson said during a joint news conference with Cavusoglu. He said joint working groups would take up specific issues including troop deployments to address Turkish border security concerns before the middle of March.
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
Can Erdogan regain his credibility as an ally?
My estimate? Neither can nor will.
“Does a tiger change his stripes?
Can Erdogan regain his credibility as an ally?
My estimate? Neither can nor will. “
Correct.
Tillerson grovels for muslims.
We owe the Kurds and should “urge” Turkey to stay out of Syria.
I agree.
Have no idea what transpired between Secretary of State Tillerson and Erdogan the Islamist this morning, but would have loved to actually hear the conversation.
My take on it from what I have heard. It was candid both ways.
There is already talk about sanctions on Turkey. We will have to wait and see if there is any response to the meeting.
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