Turkey wants to solve mutual problems with US, FM Çavuşoğlu says
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu speaks at the Türkevi in New York City, Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (AA Photo)


Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Ankara wants to solve ongoing problems with Washington.

Speaking in an address at the Turkevi Center in New York, Çavuşoğlu recalled the "important" meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in Rome, Italy last year.

"We have established a strategic mechanism upon Mr. Biden's proposal," said the foreign minister, referring to a diplomatic effort agreed in Rome on Oct. 31, 2021.

Erdoğan and Biden agreed to establish a mechanism that promotes high-level dialogue and addresses issues on which Turkey and the U.S. do not fully agree, along with issues they are working on.

"Within the framework of the crises around the world, we will discuss with the US on which areas we can develop our relations as part of this mechanism," said Çavuşoğlu.

During the April 4 visit of U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland to Ankara, the Turkey-U.S. Strategic Mechanism was launched. On Wednesday, Çavuşoğlu will meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the level of foreign ministers.

A meeting at the level of presidents could take place this year, Çavuşoğlu said.

"I hope, within this mechanism, we can solve or reduce the issues and improve our cooperation by working with a result-oriented approach," he added.

Turkey-U.S. relations have been strained in recent years due to the latter's cooperation with the YPG/PKK terrorist organization in Syria, its stance toward the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), disagreements over Turkey's purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system and Washington's sanctions against Turkey.

On Wednesday, Çavuşoğlu will attend the first-ever International Migration Review Forum within the margins of the U.N. General Assembly.

He will also attend the Global Food Security Call to Action ministerial meeting to be hosted by Blinken and hold bilateral meetings.