Turkey wants to strengthen cooperation with US: Erdogan

ANKARA

The Turkish president on Saturday said that Ankara is keen to "strengthen" cooperation with Washington following the inauguration of Joe Biden as the new US president.

"We want to further strengthen our cooperation with the new US administration on a win-win basis in the long term," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message sent to an event which marked the launch of a TV channel by the Turkish American National Steering Committee or TASC.

"Recently, we all went through a process in which Turkish-American friendship was seriously tested.

"We could not see the support and solidarity we expected from our NATO ally, especially in combating the PKK terror group and its extensions," Erdogan said.

Turkey expects a "clear stance from all of our allies, especially after the treacherous terrorist attack in which 13 Turkish people were martyred last week," he added.

Erdogan also said that Turkey and the US share more common interests than their "differences of opinion".

Last Sunday, the bodies of 13 Turkish citizens were found during Turkey's anti-terror operation in Gara, northern Iraq.

Turkish forces carried out a four-day Operation Claw-Eagle 2 in Gara last week to prevent the PKK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks on Turkey.

Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were initiated last June to ensure the safety of Turkey's people and borders.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

*Writing by Handan Kazanci