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erdoganJakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Joe Biden on his victory over incumbent Donald Trump in the United States (US) presidential elections (Pilpres). He also called for a closer relationship between the two countries.
This statement came after several foreign media highlighted that he did not immediately express his support for the former vice president of the United States in the era of Barack Obama. Where his closeness to Trump stands out.
“I congratulate him (Biden) on the success of the elections and convey to him my sincere wish for the peace and well-being of the American people,” he said in an official statement quoted by AFP, on Tuesday (10/2/2020) by the afternoon, local time.
However, he also sent a special message to Trump. This message is a thank you.
“No matter how the official election results are certified … thank you for the warm friendship during your four-year term,” wrote AFP, again quoting Erdogan.
Although many think that Erdogan and Trump are close, in fact, Ankara and Washington’s relations in the Trump era are not very sweet. The two also experienced tension.
For example, the issue of US support for Kurdish militias in Syria, which Turkey considers a serious threat. Another problem is Turkey’s purchase of weapons over Russian defense systems that infuriates the United States and NATO.
Please note that Turkey is a member of NATO. So buying a Russian military system is what tarnishes that organization.
The two are also tense over the United States’ refusal to extradite a Muslim cleric. Erdogan blamed the cleric for staging a failed coup in 2016.
Meanwhile, Biden is known to criticize the Turkish leader. He said Washington needed to be brave to confront and “beat” Erdogan.
That comment had angered Erdogan’s spokesman. Biden’s statement was called “ignorant, arrogant and hypocritical.”
“Under the Biden administration, relations between Washington and Ankara will undoubtedly begin with tensions and concerns on both sides,” wrote an observer Asli Aydintasbas from the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
One of the things that worries Turkey is whether Biden will sanction the country after buying Russian high-tech air defense systems banned by the Pentagon.
Although the sanctions have bipartisan support in Congress, Trump is taking steps to be less punitive by preventing Turkey from buying the US F-35 stealth fighter jet program.
“The Biden administration will likely have the same concerns as the Trump administration that the sanctions against Turkey will alienate its still important NATO ally,” Aydintasbas wrote.
(Head to head)
