Turkey wants to improve ties with US as soon as possible, Erdoğan says

Turkey is making progress in relations with the U.S. and wants to improve ties with its NATO ally as soon as possible, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday.

In a speech at the opening of parliament,​ Erdoğan said the U.S. had taken the wrong path by threatening and using blackmail instead of dialogue and that it was impossible for any country to trust it. He added that Washington had lost credibility by engaging globally in trade wars.

"I believe that the American government will ultimately correct its wrong perception of our country," the president said.

Erdoğan also signaled improvement in relations with the EU and its members, particularly Germany, which he visited over the weekend.

"We are slowly leaving behind the troublesome period in relations with Europe. To turn our back on such a region, our biggest trading partner, is out of the question," he stressed.

Commenting on ties with Russia, Erdoğan said Turkey will work to strengthen the positive climate of partnership between the two countries.

The deal with Russia on forming a demilitarized zone in northwestern Syria's Idlib province will contribute to realization of hopes of new Syrian constitution and fair elections, the president added.

Furthermore, he criticized Washington's threats of sanctions against Iran, calling them unjust, and said Tehran should not be excluded from regional matters.

Erdoğan reiterated that Turkey will secure its southern border, clearing terrorist groups, mainly the PKK and its Syrian affiliates the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People's Protection Units (YPG), from the region of northern Syria east of the Euphrates river as well as northern Iraq's Sinjar and Qandil regions.

Erdoğan's address marked the opening session of the Turkish parliament under the new presidential system of government.