Despite its tough rhetoric, Turkey seeks way out of pastor impasse
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there is no problem with Washington that can’t be solved by focusing on the strategic partnership.
Ankara is trying not to show it by continuing with its defiant and dismissive rhetoric against Washington, but US Treasury sanctions against two Turkish Cabinet ministers for the continuing detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson have stung Turkey.
Despite its angry tone — and the “reciprocal” sanctions President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced against two US government officials — Ankara is now seeking a diplomatic way out of the crisis.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Singapore last week, on the sidelines of the ASEAN gathering, to try and overcome the impasse. Both sides said the talks were “constructive” although no breakthrough was announced.
In the meantime, a high-level Turkish delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal is heading to Washington to hold diplomatic talks scheduled to begin Aug. 8, Turkey's state-run Anadolu News Agency reported.
