Turkey urges US to be 'faithful' NATO ally

By Cansu Dikme and Merve Aydogan

ANKARA

Turkey's foreign minister on Monday called on the U.S. to be a "faithful friend and NATO ally".

“We expect the U.S. to be faithful to our traditional friendly relations and NATO alliance,” Mevlut Cavusoglu said in his opening speech at the 10th Ambassadors’ Conference in the capital Ankara.

The five-day conference hosts 249 Turkish ambassadors and two charge d'affairs, as well as a number of foreign diplomats.

Calling the Turkish foreign policy as "multi-directional" and "multi-dimensional", Cavusoglu said the country's embassies play active roles in “enhancing economic, commercial and cultural relations, especially in the defense industry".

He also noted that Turkey is the “most reliable” and “best destination to invest”, despite the negative propaganda and the tough challenges.

On the recent tension between Turkey and the U.S., Cavusoglu said, “Recently, our relations with the U.S. have unfortunately come to a point we did not desire.”

He added that Turkey would continue its "constructive engagement".

“We are open to diplomacy and consensus but it is not possible to accept any imposition,” Cavusoglu said.

Saying that the U.S. is going through a “strategic confusion” due to its domestic politics, Cavusoglu called its NATO ally to realize "each of us matters".

Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations after Washington imposed sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Relations with Iran, Russia

Underscoring the importance of relations with Iran, Cavusoglu said: “We believe that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is a useful arrangement. Even though the U.S. has abandoned the deal, it is positive that other signatories remain committed.”

In May, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany).

The deal places restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief.

Cavusoglu affirmed that relations with Russia will “remain as one of the fundamental elements” in Turkey’s foreign policy during the upcoming period.

“We are quite clear and transparent as to our relations with Russia. The essence of this relation depends on mutual respect and interests.

“With the principle of transparency, we put forward our views and stance on the issues over which we disagree with Russia.”