Anti-terror fight tops Erdogan's NATO summit talks

WARSAW

Fight against terrorism and measures aimed at minimizing security threats stemming from the Syrian conflict dominated Turkish president’s agenda during his remarks and talks with world leaders on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit in Warsaw.

According to a source at the Turkish presidency, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met presidents of Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan Friday, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron Saturday.

Erdogan also conversed with leaders of Canada, Italy, France, Lithuania and the U.S. as well as with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during the summit, the source said.

Russia, Syrian war, terrorism, migration, refugees and cyberattacks were the focus of the two-day summit. Security and stability in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Black Sea and Baltic region were also discussed.

Erdogan expressed Turkey’s expectations from NATO members and allies for putting an end to the Syrian war, solution of refugee crisis and the effective fight against Daesh and other terrorist organizations.

He said the fight against PKK terrorist organization and its affiliates in Syria was as important as the fight against Daesh terror group.

Erdogan and Merkel during their bilateral meeting discussed in detail NATO-related issues and Turkey-EU agreements.

The recent Armenian resolution approved by the German parliament was also a key point in the meeting. The Turkish president expressed Turkey’s frustration and discomfort with the resolution, while the German chancellor vowed to show necessary sensitivity required for the move not to cast a shadow over bilateral relations. In June, German parliament had approved a resolution calling the deaths of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as “genocide”.

Separately, Erdogan told Cameron he respected the vote of British people to exit from the European Union. He also conveyed his condolences to President Barack Obama over the tragic events unfolding in the U.S. during the course of the summit.

NATO chief told Erdogan that the alliance was aware of Turkey’s sensitivities and assured the Turkish president that he was undertaking necessary initiatives for the allies to contribute more for Turkey’s defense.