Foreign Desk Report
ANKARA: Turkey is ready to work with whoever wins the U.S. election, two top Turkish officials said on Friday, despite a friendship with President Donald Trump that has helped the two countries through turbulent times.
“Regardless of which candidate takes office in the U.S., we will pursue a sincere approach to improve our relations,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
The decades-old partnership between the NATO allies has gone through unprecedented tumult in the past five years over disagreements on Syria policy, Ankara’s closer ties with Moscow, its ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean, U.S. charges against a state-owned Turkish bank and an erosion of rights in Turkey.
Cavusoglu said Turkey had worked with Democrat and Republican administrations alike and overcome difficulties with both.
He spoke as Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden took a narrow lead over President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Georgia, putting the White House within Biden’s reach as undecided states continued to count votes.
Washington has threatened sanctions on Turkey for purchasing Russian missile defence systems but Trump’s administration has avoided imposing sanctions.
