Tillerson, Erdogan hold talks in Ankara

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Ankara on Thursday in a move to improve ties, which have recently soured over US support for the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, seen as terrorists by Turkey. “The two engaged in a productive and open conversation about a mutually beneficial way forward in the US-Turkey relationship,” a State Department spokesman traveling with Tillerson said, as cited by Reuters. During the meeting, which lasted over three hours, Erdogan and Tillerson also exchanged views on the fight against terrorism, Anadolu agency reported, citing an unnamed Turkish presidential source. The Turkish leader “explicitly” told Tillerson Ankara’s priorities and expectations from the US on bilateral ties and regional developments, the source added.