U.S. President Joe Biden showed a “positive attitude” about the sale of the F-16 fighter jets, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told a news conference at the G20 summit in Rome on Oct. 31.
“The issue of modernizing the F-16s we have or giving new F-16s came to the fore (during the meeting with Biden). Our defense ministers are following the process,” Erdoğan told reporters.
Earlier in the day, the Turkish and U.S. leaders held a closed-door meeting which lasted over an hour.
Responding to a question about his meeting with Biden, Erdoğan said he had conveyed Turkey‘s “regret” over the support that “terrorist groups such as the PKK, PYD, YPG are receiving, especially from the U.S.”
“As (two) NATO allies, we have expressed the regret that this support (for terror groups) has brought upon us,” he added.
Such support for terror groups “harms” the solidarity between two countries, Erdoğan said, adding, he “believes” that the U.S. arms support for terror groups in Syria will not continue in the future.
Erdoğan also commented on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.
“Though the global economy has begun to recover in 2021, our economies still face serious challenges.
“Institutions controlling the global financial system should not become a tool of political manipulations, which has no reasonable economic justification,” he added.
On climate change, the Turkish president criticized some countries without mentioning names.
He said: “The amount that the world’s most polluting countries spend on combating irregular migration is about twice as much as the amount they allocate to combating climate change. This distorted picture before us is truly embarrassing.”
In response to a question regarding the EU’s proposal to create a collective armed force of its own, Erdoğan said it is “not possible.”
Turkish president meets European leaders on sidelines of G20
Erdoğan also met with leaders of France, Germany, and the European Council on the sidelines of the G20 Rome summit.
Erdoğan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a 50-minute closed-door meeting at the La Nuvola Convention Center, which hosts the 2021 summit in Italy, the first in-person summit since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Separately, the Turkish president hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for 30 minutes behind closed doors.
The meeting was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Treasury and Finance Minister Lütfi Elvan, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın, and AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik.
Meanwhile, Olaf Scholz, the likely successor of Merkel, also joined her in the meeting with Erdoğan.
Later, Erdoğan met with European Council head Charles Michel for a 40-minute talk. The closed-door meeting was also attended by Kalın.
Commenting on the meeting, Michel on Twitter said the two officials addressed the “EU-Turkey relations. Discussed developments in Afghanistan, Libya and the wider region. Dialogue is key for regional stability and security.”
Hurriyet Daily News