“Turkey to watch US view to FETO leader’s extradition”

By Esin Isik and Ali Kemal Akan

ANKARA

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim Friday said Turkey will take steps in accordance with U.S. steps regarding extradition of the leader of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

“We told the U.S. what was needed and what our expectation is on the extradition issue.”

The Prime minister said the U.S. was aware of Turkey’s sensitivity about the FETO leader’s extradition.

“We will see after that and take steps accordingly. Our aim is not to tense the relations more, instead, we want to improve the [bilateral] relations.”

Describing his White House meeting with the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence as “very fruitful”, the prime minister said, “We have decided to improve our relations further.”

Yildirim, on his first U.S. trip as Turkish premier, was on the last day of a four-day visit to America, during which he visited Vice President Mike Pence at the White House, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

At the UN, Yildirim said, “We mainly discussed the situation in Rakhine, UN’s playing more active role there, ending the war in Syria and finding permanent solution through a more active role of UN in Geneva talks".

This trip comes after the two countries broke the ice by partially restoring visa services after a nearly month-long row over Turkish staffers of a U.S. mission arrested for alleged FETO ties.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey that left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured. FETO is also held accountable for being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions.