ISTANBUL: Turkey appears to be taking steps to return to its former “zero problems with neighbors” foreign policy after rapprochements with Russia and Israel this year.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Saturday struck a conciliatory note on Turkey's ties with the United States and at the same time expressed his country's desire to repair its ties with Egypt.
Yildirim said the United States was Turkey’s “strategic partner, not our enemy” despite Ankara’s anger at Washington for failing to extradite Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for last month’s failed coup.
“There can be ups and downs in the two countries’ relations (but) we need to remove elements that harm our relations,” he told journalists in Istanbul, referring to the Pennsylvania-based cleric.
Ankara has for years accused Gulen of running a “parallel state” in Turkey and it also blamed him for ordering the failed putsch of July 15.
The reclusive cleric, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
Ankara had previously suggested any failure to deliver Gulen would severely damage bilateral ties and Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said it was up to Washington to extradite him to prevent “anti-US feeling” in Turkey turning into “hate.”
The White House has confirmed that US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Ankara next week in the highest-ranking visit to Turkey by any Western official since the coup.
Yildirim also confirmed a technical delegation would arrive on August 22 for talks with Turkey’s judicial authorities ahead of Biden’s visit.
“I hope this process will be finalized in a way favored by both countries, and (that) questions in the minds of Turkish people about America will be removed.”
Soured relations with Egypt
Yildirim said Turkey is moving to restore its ties with Egypt, after relations soured over the ouster of Islamist president Muhammad Mursi in 2013.
Relations between Ankara and Cairo took a nosedive after the Egyptian military deposed Mursi on July 30, 2013.
Mursi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, had been a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party-led (AKP) government.
Erdogan repeatedly condemned the ouster as a “coup d’etat” against Mursi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies he has often flashed the four-finger “Rabaa” hand salute — seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“We think we need to develop economic and cultural ties with Egypt as countries that use the two sides of the Mediterranean,” Yildirim told reporters at a briefing in Istanbul.
However he sounded a note of caution that high-level relations would not be repaired overnight.
“We think we need to start from somewhere,” he said.
It is not the first time Yildirim has expressed hope for improved relations with Egypt.
In June, he said he did not want to see “permanent enmity” with countries such as Egypt and Syria.
After the July 15 failed putsch in Turkey by a rogue military faction aiming to oust Erdogan from power, Egypt’s presidency remained mum.
However, the foreign ministry released a statement on consular efforts to help Egyptians in Turkey.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Saturday struck a conciliatory note on Turkey's ties with the United States and at the same time expressed his country's desire to repair its ties with Egypt.
Yildirim said the United States was Turkey’s “strategic partner, not our enemy” despite Ankara’s anger at Washington for failing to extradite Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for last month’s failed coup.
“There can be ups and downs in the two countries’ relations (but) we need to remove elements that harm our relations,” he told journalists in Istanbul, referring to the Pennsylvania-based cleric.
Ankara has for years accused Gulen of running a “parallel state” in Turkey and it also blamed him for ordering the failed putsch of July 15.
The reclusive cleric, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
Ankara had previously suggested any failure to deliver Gulen would severely damage bilateral ties and Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said it was up to Washington to extradite him to prevent “anti-US feeling” in Turkey turning into “hate.”
The White House has confirmed that US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Ankara next week in the highest-ranking visit to Turkey by any Western official since the coup.
Yildirim also confirmed a technical delegation would arrive on August 22 for talks with Turkey’s judicial authorities ahead of Biden’s visit.
“I hope this process will be finalized in a way favored by both countries, and (that) questions in the minds of Turkish people about America will be removed.”
Soured relations with Egypt
Yildirim said Turkey is moving to restore its ties with Egypt, after relations soured over the ouster of Islamist president Muhammad Mursi in 2013.
Relations between Ankara and Cairo took a nosedive after the Egyptian military deposed Mursi on July 30, 2013.
Mursi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, had been a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party-led (AKP) government.
Erdogan repeatedly condemned the ouster as a “coup d’etat” against Mursi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies he has often flashed the four-finger “Rabaa” hand salute — seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“We think we need to develop economic and cultural ties with Egypt as countries that use the two sides of the Mediterranean,” Yildirim told reporters at a briefing in Istanbul.
However he sounded a note of caution that high-level relations would not be repaired overnight.
“We think we need to start from somewhere,” he said.
It is not the first time Yildirim has expressed hope for improved relations with Egypt.
In June, he said he did not want to see “permanent enmity” with countries such as Egypt and Syria.
After the July 15 failed putsch in Turkey by a rogue military faction aiming to oust Erdogan from power, Egypt’s presidency remained mum.
However, the foreign ministry released a statement on consular efforts to help Egyptians in Turkey.
