Stability in the Eastern Mediterranean at the heart of the Cavusoglu-Blinken joint statement

The importance of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the maintenance of diplomatic channels of communication are highlighted in the joint statement on the US-Turkey Strategic Mechanism issued by the two countries, after the meeting the American Secretary of State hadAnthony Blinken, with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at the State Department.

The two sides discussed strengthening US-Turkey defense cooperation, including modernization of the F-16 fleet of Turkey.

In addition, they confirmed NATO’s open door policy and discussed the implementation of the tripartite memorandum signed by Finland, Sweden and Turkey to promote Finland and Sweden’s accession to the NATO alliance.

Regarding Ukraine, the two countries underlined their strong support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, expressing their solidarity against Russia’s unacceptable war and reaffirming their support for finding a solution to end the war.

Joint Statement on the US-Turkey Strategic Mechanism

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held the fourth meeting of the US-Turkey Strategic Mechanism on January 18, 2023 in Washington. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland also met with Turkish Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs Sedat Onal under the auspices of the Strategic Mechanism. The two sides held extensive dialogue in a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation and emphasized the importance of their partnership as NATO allies.

Minister Blinken and Minister Çavuşoğlu continued corporate and interagency discussions held by senior officials from the US State Department and the Turkish Foreign Ministry on January 17, 2023, in Washington.

Foreign Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu reiterated their commitment to a results-oriented positive bilateral agenda.

They discussed strengthening US-Turkey defense cooperation, including the modernization of Turkey’s F-16 fleet.

Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu underlined their strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russia’s unacceptable war and reaffirmed their support for finding a solution to end the war. The United States thanked Turkey for its role in brokering the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The two ministers decided to increase coordination and cooperation to promote peace in the South Caucasus.

Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu discussed ways to strengthen NATO coordination and solidarity in the face of current threats and challenges. They reaffirmed their longstanding commitment to collective defense as allies, as well as to NATO’s open door policy. They discussed the implementation of the tripartite memorandum signed by Finland, Sweden and Turkey to promote the application of Finland and Sweden to join the NATO alliance.

Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu discussed the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and agreed on the importance of maintaining stability and communication channels.

Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu reiterated the need to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In this context, the United States and Turkey plan to hold counterterrorism consultations as part of the Strategic Mechanism, building on pre-existing cooperation through law enforcement and intelligence sharing. The minister once again condemned the November 13, 2022 terrorist attack in Istanbul and reaffirmed that the United States stands by Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Both sides plan to maintain close coordination and cooperation in efforts to combat terrorist organizations, especially the Islamic State and the PKK.

They discussed all aspects of the Syrian crisis and reiterated the commitment of the United States and Turkey to a political process in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. They welcomed the recent UN Security Council vote to extend the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria. The two sides also discussed broader issues in the Middle East and Africa, including the need to build regional stability and connectivity through increased economic and security cooperation.

Minister Blinken and Minister Cavusoglu appreciated the continued development of US-Turkey bilateral trade relations. They reaffirmed the importance of economic cooperation and leveraging existing bilateral forums to support regional and global economic opportunities. Both sides agreed to a climate and energy dialogue to promote energy security and the transition to a cleaner energy future.

They decided to continue their cooperation under the auspices of the Strategic Mechanism to review progress and maintain momentum on the positive bilateral agenda. The two sides welcome increased bilateral meetings, including at the highest level, under the Strategic Mechanism.

RES-EMP

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