Turkish president, US defense secretary meet in Ankara

By Sarp Ozer and Enis Akin

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis discussed bilateral and regional issues in capital Ankara Wednesday, according to a presidential source.

During the more than an hour-long meeting at the presidential complex, Erdogan and Mattis reiterated their determination to fight against terror groups, including the PKK and the Daesh as well as to uphold the territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

The president said Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government’s move to carry out a referendum on Sept. 25. on whether to declare formal independence from Iraq would be a wrong step.

Baghdad rejects the planned poll, saying it could adversely affect the ongoing fight against Daesh, which -- despite a string of recent defeats -- still maintains a significant presence in Iraq.

The U.S. has also voiced concern the referendum could serve as a “distraction” from other regional issues, especially the fight against terrorism and the political stabilization of post-Daesh Iraq.

Erdogan also expressed Turkey’s discomfort with the U.S.’ support for the PKK/PYD terror group -- the Syrian affiliate of the PKK.

National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Hakan Fidan and Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin were also present at the meeting.

Mattis also separately met his Turkish counterpart Canikli at the National Defense Ministry, separately.