Kalın, Sullivan discuss Turkey-US ties, security cooperation

TURKEY’S Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın and U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan late Monday spoke over the phone and discussed bilateral political and economic ties and to develop cooperation in the field of security.

According to a statement by Ankara, within the scope of global and regional issues, views were exchanged on the Ukraine crisis, the protests in Kazakhstan, the normalization process with Armenia, the developments in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ethiopia.

Kalın and Sullivan also discussed the details of a joint strategic mechanism agreed during a meeting on Oct. 31 last year between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Rome.

Turkey sent a letter to the U.S. about the establishment of the joint mechanism on the issues that Erdoğan and Biden had previously agreed on, Kalın had said recently.

“We would like to maintain equal, fair and transparent relations based on mutual interest and respect in a comprehensive manner,” Kalın said, adding that while doing so, Turkey would prioritize its own national interests and priorities.

During the phone talk, Kalın also said the Ukraine crisis should be resolved through dialogue and cooperation, adding that Turkey is ready to make any contribution in this respect. He also underlined the importance that Turkey attaches to Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

While President Erdoğan in October proposed Turkey’s mediator role for the crisis, he later elaborated by pointing out that with the consent of both parties, Turkey can offer facilitation, mediation or support in any format.

Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu also said that Turkey has been in contact with both Russia and Ukraine, noting that Ankara advised both sides to remain calm and deescalate the situation.

Most recently, Ankara urged Moscow and the Western defense alliance to air their differences in direct negotiations proposed by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.

“If Russia has any certain specific expectation or issue from Turkey regarding reducing tensions between Russia and NATO, Turkey will evaluate this positively because our objective is clear,” said Ankara.

NATO member Turkey has good ties with Moscow, though it opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya. It has forged energy and defense cooperation with Russia while opposing Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

The two sides stressed the significance of efforts in putting an end to the ongoing unrest in Kazakhstan as soon as possible to ensure peace and stability in the region.

They also emphasized that the establishment of permanent peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia would contribute to regional stability and prosperity.

Kalın noted that Ankara is determined to continue its role in ensuring peace and stability in the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.