By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK-On Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed bilateral issues, NATO expansion, the Istanbul Grain Initiative and the Ukraine war via phone with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Also, discussed were upcoming diplomatic visits and the F-16 purchase, according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Blinken and Cavusoglu further discussed the most current situation in Syria with Cavusoglu emphasizing his country’s persistence in combating counterterrorism. U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that Blinken thanked Cavusoglu for Turkiye’s efforts for the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
Turkiye has been working diligently to open dialogue between Russia and Ukraine and was instrumental in making sure the grain deal continued, in order to avert a global food crisis. Price said that Blinken and Cavusoglu emphasized how crucial NATO unity is in supporting Ukraine with its defense needs. Price added that “Secretary Blinken also expressed concern over the situation in Syria.” Turkiye has vowed to launch a ground offensive into northern Syria after a recent bomb attack in the heart of Istanbul’s tourist district on November 13 that left six dead and 81 injured. Turkish authorities claim the PKK group and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, are responsible.
Also on the agenda was the F-16 fighter jets since the U.S. and Turkiye have been negotiating the sale of 40 new F-16s and 79 modernization kits after Turkiye was excluded from the joint F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet program due to its deployment of Russian S-400 air defense systems. There had been opposition to the sale from 40 congressmen from the Republican and Democratic parties in late 2021. Recently, the U.S. removed the opposing amendments in the final defense spending bill.
Another major issue of discussion between the two countries is Turkiye finally agreeing to accept Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for NATO membership. Cavusoglu made it clear that Turkiye doesn’t think Sweden has done enough in extraditing and freezing the assets of those who Turkiye claims are affiliated with the PKK and FETO organization. The controversy stems from disagreements over who Sweden and Turkiye consider to be “terrorists.” Sweden recently announced tougher laws on terrorism will take effect immediately on January 1, 2023 and said it has followed all steps meticulously outlined in the trilateral agreement signed in June between Turkiye, Sweden and Finland. Despite those claims, Cavusoglu maintains Sweden needs to do more with the current controversy focused on extraditing Bulent Kenes, the former editor-in-chief of Today’s Zaman, a now defunct English language newspaper that the Turkish government claims was funded by FETO head Fetullah Gulen. Gulen, who continues to reside in the U.S. is wanted by the Turkish government for what it claims is his role in an attempted coup in 2015. So far, the U.S. has refused to extradite the octogenarian Gulen who is well into his eighties.
