Erdogan says Turkey and US entering ‘new era’ of relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that Turkey and the United States are entering a “new era” in ties, after the NATO allies’ relationship deteriorated in recent years over an array of issues.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan however, called for U.S. respect for Turkey’s sovereign rights — in an apparent reference to its decision to purchase a Russian weapons system — as well as support for Ankara’s fight against Syrian Kurdish groups it considers to be terrorists.

Erdogan made the comments days after his first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden since he took office. The two men, who have known each other for years, met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels.

Erdogan has been trying to repair frayed ties with the U.S. and other Western partners as his government grapples with an economic downturn made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We believe that we will resolve the problematic issues between us in time, based on our mutual sensitivities and expectations,” Erdogan said in a televised address. “We agreed that there is no issue that we cannot surmount and that on the contrary, the areas of cooperation are greater and more profitable.”