Erdoğan says Biden pledged to do 'his best' for sale of F-16s to Turkey

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that he did not see “a negative approach” from his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on Turkey's request to purchase F-16 jets when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome.

Erdoğan said Biden had told him that he would do everything he could to ensure the procurement, yet the U.S. president also emphasized the issue needs the support of both chambers of the U.S. Congress, which could be a long process.

“I did not see a negative approach from him with regards to this issue. On the contrary, our defense ministers will talk to each other with regards to this issue, and also our foreign ministers will talk with counterparts. Hopefully, we are expecting to finalize this sensitive issue that concerns the two countries' relations,” Erdoğan told reporters on his return flight from the G-20 Leaders' Summit held in Rome.

Erdoğan's remarks were released to the Turkish media on Nov. 1.

“Biden said, 'We may not get a result in a very short period of time. As you know, [decisions] pass through two different sections, the House of Representatives and Senate. As you know, the situation is 50-50, but I will do my best.' And I told him, 'I believe that we can accomplish this,'” Erdoğan said.

Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues in recent years, from policy differences in Syria to Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, human rights and legal matters. The United States has also sanctioned Turkey over the S-400s.

Days after the allies narrowly averted a diplomatic crisis over jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala, Biden and Erdoğan met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome. Biden also raised the issue of human rights during the meeting, according to U.S. authorities.

Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues in recent years, from policy differences in Syria to Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, human rights and legal matters. The United States has also sanctioned Turkey over the S-400s.

Ankara had previously ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, but Washington removed Turkey from the program after it bought the S-400s. Turkey has called the move unjust and demanded reimbursement for its $1.4 billion payment.

Erdogan said that payment should be used to finance Turkey's request to buy 40 F-16s, but Washington has said it had made no financing offers to Ankara.

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