By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL- On Monday, U.S. Undersecretary for Management John Bass was at the Turkish Foreign Ministry for talks with Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to a statement on X. Bass was invited to Türkiye by Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akçapar for two days of talks on regional developments as well as Ukraine, Syria and Gaza. Both Fidan and Bass will also discuss issues related to the Black Sea as well as a briefing on Turkish President Erdogan’s trip to the U.S. on May 9 -where he will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss a broad set of issues including economic ties. Turkish sources indicated that Fidan and Bass discussed energy, combating terrorist groups including the PKK, Syrian offshoot YPG, Daesh and the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO). Biden and Erdogan are expected to discuss the U.S. sale to Turkiye of F-16 fighter jets and the modernization process of jets that Turkiye already purchased.
Meanwhile, Turkiye’s Fidan on Monday, also had a call with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to diplomatic sources. Guterres and Fidan discussed the situation in Gaza, recent developments in the region, Cyprus and maritime security in the Black Sea. Fidan also spoke to other foreign ministers after Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel to which Fidan shared Turkiye’s concerns about the need to de-escalate the situation between Iran and Israel.
