Ruling AKP spokesman: Turkey will congratulate US election winner once result finalized

Duvar English

Turkey will congratulate the winner of the U.S. election after the result of the vote is finalized, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said on Nov. 9, two days after Joe Biden clinched victory over President Donald Trump.

Erdoğan remains silent as world leaders convey congratulatory messages to Biden

Ankara, which has been at odds with its NATO ally Washington over a host issues, from differences in Syria policy to Turkey's purchase of Russian missile defence systems, said at the weekend it will continue working with the next U.S. administration.

Speaking at a news conference after an AKP meeting chaired by Erdoğan, Ömer Çelik said Ankara would congratulate and call the next U.S. president once the result is set, "out of respect for the United States and the American people." “We are waiting for the final results ... because there are objections and other disputes,” Çelik said.

Erdoğan has yet to join a chorus of world leaders congratulating Biden on his victory in the U.S. election, with Ankara’s silence bringing to mind the rift between Biden and Turkey.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kılıçdaroğlu became the first leader in Turkey to congratulate Biden for his victory, voicing hope that relations between the countries will strengthen.

In first message after Biden's victory, Turkey says it will continue working with new US administration

Relations between Ankara and Biden soured in August when the president-elect said that a new approach is needed against “autocrat” Erdoğan and voiced support for the opposition.

Biden’s comments to New York Times editors resurfaced in a video that made him the most popular topic on Twitter in Turkey on Aug. 15.

Biden says in the video recorded on Dec. 16 2019 – before he emerged as the Democratic candidate – that he is “very concerned” about Erdoğan’s approach to Kurds in Turkey, his partial military cooperation with Russia, and access to U.S. airfields in the country, a NATO ally.

“What I think we should be doing is taking a very different approach to him now, making it clear that we support opposition leadership,” Biden said in the video.

His remarks drew ire at the time, with AKP officials lining up to condemn Biden.

Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said at the time that his comments “reflect games and an interventionist approach towards Turkey” and are inconsistent with current diplomatic relations.