Trump speaks with Turkey's Erdogan amid tension

Trump speaks with Turkey's Erdogan amid tension

U.S. President Donald Trump. (File Photo: Xinhua/IANS)

Washington, Jan 15 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Monday spoke over phone with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan following recent bickering between Washington and Ankara, said the White House in a statement.

The two leaders discussed several bilateral issues, including the US troops' withdrawal from Syria, said the White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders in the statement, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The President expressed the desire to work together to address Turkey's security concerns in northeast Syria while stressing the importance to the US that Turkey does not mistreat the Kurds and other Syrian Democratic Forces," added Sanders.

The spokesperson also revealed that US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford will meet with his Turkish counterpart on Tuesday to continue "consultations with Turkey on Syria."

On Sunday, Trump tweeted that the US would "devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds" amid the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. He also suggested the creation of a 20-mile (32 km) safe zone in Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday hit back at the threats against Turkey, claiming that "economic threats against Turkey will get nowhere."

The US and Turkey have been quarreling recently regarding the Kurdish militia in northern Syria, a US ally in the anti-Islamic State campaign but seen as a terrorist group by Ankara.

--IANS

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