ANKARA (Reuters) – The common interests of Turkey and the United States outweigh their differences and Ankara wants improved cooperation with Washington, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday striking a rare conciliatory tone. Ties between the two NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the S-400 dispute and other disagreements during their first call. Washington’s claim that the defence systems poses a threat to the F-35s is rejected by Ankara. Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Mike HarrisonImage: FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting in Rize, Turkey, February 15, 2021.

Source: Egypt Independent February 21, 2021 08:48 UTC