Broadcaster NTV and other local media said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jonathan Cohen will lead the US delegation to Turkey to work on the crisis, which peaked after the recent arrest. Turkish officials charges the consulate employee spoke with FETO members.
The decision to hold face-to-face talks follows a phone call Wednesday between US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the first high-level contact since the crisis erupted on Sunday.
"Secretary Tillerson conveyed to the foreign minister his profound concern over the detentions of Turkish national employees of our diplomatic mission to Turkey and of several American citizens," according to a US statement released Wednesday.
"Secretary Tillerson emphasized the importance of transparency in the accusations made by the Turkish government and the need for the Turkish government to present the evidence behind these accusations."