Obama talks to both Erdoğan and Davutoğlu before G-20 Summit

ANKARA

AFP photo

United States President Barack Obama held phone conversations with top Turkish officials late Nov. 9 to discuss the agenda of the upcoming G-20 Summit that will be held in Turkey and to exchange views on recent developments in Syria. 

Obama first called Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to congratulate him for his election victory on Nov. 1, which granted him a comfortable majority in the parliament and allowed him to form a one-party government. 

According to a written statement issued by the office of the Prime Ministry, Obama expressed his determination to increase the level of cooperation between the two countries for the resolution of regional problems as well as defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Davutoğlu told Obama he was hoping to address the Syrian issue at length during the G-20 Summit. 

The prime minister also thanked Obama for his election congratulation and underlined the high turnout as the faith of the Turkish people in democracy. 

Erdoğan, Obama discuss G-20 agenda

Obama and Erdoğan also discussed the Syrian problem as well as the agenda of the upcoming G-20 Summit, according to the Anadolu Agency. 

The two presidents have underlined the importance of intensifying the pressure on ISIL and reinforcing the moderate Syrian opposition, the report said. They have also shared their evaluations on efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian problem. The agency said Erdoğan and Obama have emphasized that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) should end its terrorist activities. 

President Erdoğan will host world leaders at the G-20 Summit Nov. 15-16 in Antalya, Turkey. The Syrian issue will also be part of the G-20 agenda.