Turkey-US relations close to breaking, warns FM

February 12, 2018

Cavusoglu warned that, strained due to American support for the YPG in Syria, Turkish relations with the U.S. are close to breaking.
Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Deputy Chairman of the African Union Commission Thomas Kwesi Quartey (not seen) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda Olivier Nduhungirehe (not seen) hold a joint press conference following the Turkey-Africa 2nd Ministerial Review Conference in Istanbul, Turkey on February 12, 2018. Anadolu Agency

Speaking at the Turkey-Africa 2nd Ministerial Review Conference in Istanbul on February 12, 2018, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that the U.S. must restore the trust it lost with Turkey.

Cavusoglu warned that, strained due to American support for the YPG in Syria, Turkish relations with the U.S. are close to breaking.

“Ties with the U.S. are at a very critical point. We will either fix these relations or they will break completely,” Cavusoglu told reporters.

“We want concrete steps [from the U.S.]. The missing trust needs to be restored. The reason for that missing is the U.S.”

Criticizing U.S. ties with the YPG/PKK terror group in Syria – the armed wing of the PYD/PKK – the FM said: “The U.S. is not touching Daesh members in Syria as an excuse to continue working with the YPG/PKK terrorist group.”

Ignoring strong objections from Ankara, the U.S. continues to support the PYD/PKK as a “reliable ally” in its fight against Daesh.

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