Turkish leader clarifies postponement of visit to US

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that the visit to the US, scheduled for May 9, was postponed due to the incompatible schedule with the US leader.

President Erdogan made these remarks in an interview with the Kathimerini newspaper, while answering its questions before the visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara on May 13, according to TASS.

“Our visit to the US was postponed due to incompatible schedules of the two sides. As is known, elections will be held in the United States soon, and Mr. Biden’s schedule has become busier. Our programmes are intensively implemented both domestically and internationally,” the Turkish leader noted.

“Such visits are made at a period convenient for both sides. Our friends are holding meetings with their interlocutors, and efforts are made to set a suitable date,” the Turkish president added.

“We stand for maintaining the US political balance in relations between Türkiye and Greece,” President Erdogan said when asked whether the US must play a mediating role in the Türkiye-Greece relations.

“We think that approaches that maintain a distance consistent with the legal framework of the [NATO] alliance and create a basis for constructive dialogue will be useful. Moreover, we negotiate with Greece without intermediaries. The maintenance and development of these talks will contribute to a more positive development of our relations,” the president added.

Earlier, Spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry Oncu Keceli told reporters that the Turkish president's trip to the US, scheduled for May 9, had been postponed and would take place at a period convenient for both sides.

In turn, US Under Secretary of State John Bass, during a speech at a meeting of the 39th American-Turkish Council in Washington, said that the Turkish president may visit the US in July in connection with the NATO summit scheduled for July 12-13.

“We look forward to welcoming President Erdogan at the NATO summit in July. Türkiye played an important and positive role amid the Ukrainian conflict,” Yeni Akit newspaper quotes Bass as saying.

The diplomat also noted that Ankara has done important work in resolving many regional crises.