Top diplomats of Turkey and USA speak over the phone re13 Turkish citizens killed in Gara

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke over phone with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken expressed his condolences for the 13 Turkish citizens who were killed and said that the PKK was responsible for this.

Foreign ministers of Turkey and USA held a phone call after Turkey reacted to the statement by the US State Department that the PKK had killed 13 unarmed Turkish citizens.

On this occasion, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu congratulated US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his new post. During the meeting, bilateral relations were discussed in all dimensions and some regional issues and issues such as FETÖ terror organization, PKK/PYD, the fight against terrorism, S-400, Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean were also discussed.

In a statement, the State Department said both parties had agreed to develop an open and sincere dialogue based on mutual respect. Also the Turkish side shared its discomfort due to the recent statements of the US side, regarding the last incident. Blinken expressed his condolences regarding the issue. Ned Price, spokesman for USA said, “The two sides pledged to increase their support and cooperation for a political settlement of the war in Syria. The minister expressed his condolences on the death of Turkish hostages in northern Iraq and reiterated our view that the PKK is responsible for this.”

Blinken called for Turkey to abandon the S-400 agreement with Russia, Price said, adding that the minister also stressed his support for exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece. The US State Department also announced that Blinken and Cavusoglu had agreed to support and strengthen cooperation in the political settlement of the war in Syria.