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Turkey, US Have Chance to Mend Relations Under New Biden Administration, Envoy to NATO Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Relations between Turkey and the United States stand a chance of improving under the administration of projected US President-elect Joe Biden, head of the Turkish delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Berat Conkar, said.
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"Turkey’s sensitivities must be understood well and with the new administration coming into the United States," Conkar said on Monday. "With the experience of the President-elect Biden in foreign affairs, I believe that there is a chance for new dynamics to reset and to mend the relationship."

Conkar said Turkey and the United States must focus on many important issues regarding regional and global security in order to improve bilateral relations.

​While both countries have been partners in NATO, today they are in a critical juncture in their relationship, he noted.

Conkar also said that Turkey’s position inside NATO has always been critical and that it is especially important given the challenges the alliance is facing.

"We are seeing that there is a growing problem of cohesion inside NATO," Conkar said. "When we look at the US-Turkey relationship, which has deteriorated in the last couple of years, there are certain issues, there are certain problems which are basically creating cracks inside NATO."

Conkar explained that specifically these issues include the fight against terrorism, and added that Turkey is rightfully concerned about the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian Branch known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), which have unfortunately been taken very lightly by its NATO allies.

"This is creating an important crack inside our alliance," Conkar said.

Major US media networks have projected Democratic nominee Joe Biden to be the winner of the 2020 US presidential election. However, President Donald Trump has said he won the election but the victory was stolen from him via massive election and voter fraud and acts of impropriety.

Trump has sought redress by seeking recounts in some states and filing lawsuits in state and federal courts. Several states have said they did not find evidence of widespread election fraud or substantial irregularities.

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