Resolving Turkey-US disputes urgent need: FM Çavuşoğlu

Finding ways to resolve the differences between Turkey and the U.S. is an urgent necessity not only for bilateral relations, but also for transatlantic cooperation, Turkey's top diplomat said on Jan. 8. 

"Turkey values ​​its deeply rooted relations with the United States. We have an alliance that has stood the test of time and has been instrumental in shaping the transatlantic political landscape," said Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, speaking to Spanish news agency EFE during a visit to Madrid.

Çavuşoğlu noted that Ankara and Washington currently disagreed on a number of significant issues, especially concerning Turkey's national security, such as the U.S.' aid to the PKK/YPG terrorist group, its inaction against FETÖ and its sanctions against Turkey.

He expressed Turkey's appreciation for President-elect Joe Biden's visit to Ankara during his vice-presidency under the Obama administration after a coup attempt on July 15, 2016 by FETÖ, showing his solidarity with the Turkish government and nation.

"Thus, we hope that this first-hand experience of the danger posed by this terrorist organization will allow the new US administration to take urgent and concrete action on FETÖ and its leader," Çavuşoğlu said.

"But above all, we hope that you, the new U.S. administration, recognize the strategic importance of Turkish-American relations and take the necessary steps to increase its full potential. The way to do this is to address our differences through dialogue and diplomacy, as allies do," he added.

Çavuşoğlu said that a good first step to do this would be to remove the Trump administration's sanctions against Turkey imposed under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

On Dec. 14, the U.S...