ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Turkey has not sent a request to the United States on a possible meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, spokesman for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Omer Celik said on Friday.
On Thursday, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Hailey said that Trump would decide on the meetings with the presidents of Iraq and Turkey in case of the relevant requests from these countries.
"The meeting between our president and Trump became subject to so many misunderstandings and rumors because the US officials say that in case of the Turkish party's request, they will consider such a request and give a response. We do not support such an approach. We have not made such a request. If Trump or his administration make a request for the meeting with our president, of course, we will consider that," Celik told reporters.
The US-Turkish relations deteriorated amid the imprisonment of US pastor Andrew Brunson, who was detained in Turkey in 2016 over his alleged ties to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Turkey holds responsible for orchestrating the failed military coup of 2016. The pastor was released from prison in late July, only to be moved to house arrest.
The United States later imposed sanctions on Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu accusing them of human rights violations.
The Turkish-US relations worsened further in August when US President Donald Trump authorized the doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey, up to 50 and 20 percent, respectively, which resulted in the Turkish lira falling to a new historic low.
