ERDOGAN : TALKING WITH OBAMA – BUT CREATING AN ALLIANCE WITH IRAN
Obama, Turkish Leader Discuss Mideast Conflicts
2014-02-20 – TOLUCA, Mexico (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (REH’-jehp TY’-ihp UR’-doh-wahn) have discussed Mideast conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Israel.
Obama and Erdogan spoke by phone Wednesday. Obama is in Mexico for a regional summit. The White House says Obama and Erdogan agreed to cooperate closely to combat terrorism in Syria and pursue a political solution. Turkey is especially concerned about violence and refugees spilling over the border.
The leaders also discussed Iraq and the need for an energy agreement between the Baghdad government and Iraq’s self-ruled northern Kurdish region, which has moved to unilaterally send crude oil to Turkey. The White House says Obama and Erdogan also conferred on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. And Obama thanked Erdogan for working to restart peace talks in Cyprus.