Erdogan and Tillerson Discuss Improving US-Turkey Relations

A spokesperson for the US State Department stated on Thursday, February 15, that Rex Tillerson and Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a "constructive and candid" conversation about achieving a mutually beneficial way to improve Washington-Ankara relations. According to Reuters, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Turkey on Thursday for a two-day visit. This comes as US-Turkey relations have soured over various issues, including Washington's support for Syrian Kurdish militants, the People's Protection Units (YPG). Last month, Turkey launched an operation against the YPG in the Afrin region of northern Syria. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization and part of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it has been fighting for over 30 years. A spokesperson for the US State Department regarding the meeting between Rex Tillerson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said both participated in a constructive and candid discussion aimed at finding a mutually beneficial way to improve Turkey-US relations. The Turkish presidential office has released images from this three-hour meeting. A source from the Turkish presidential office also stated that Erdogan expressed his priorities and expectations regarding Syria, the fight against terrorism, and other regional issues during the meeting. Prior to this meeting, Turkey had requested that the US exclude the YPG from the coalition against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli told reporters in Brussels on Thursday that Ankara wants the US to end its support for YPG militants. US Defense Secretary James Mattis also stated after his meeting and discussion with his Turkish counterpart that the talks were "frank and candid" while acknowledging that there are differences in the positions of the two countries.