Turkish PM arrives in US as visa spat softens

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim arrived in the United States on Tuesday for a four-day official trip as tensions between the two countries ease.

The Turkish prime minister's plane landed in Joint Base Andrew in Washington, where he was welcomed by Serdar Kilic, Turkey's Ambassador to the US.

Yildirim, who is on his first visit to the US as the prime minister of Turkey, is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak.

The visit is expected to heal strained relations that peaked after both countries suspended bilateral visa services.

Yildirim is also scheduled to meet US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday. The two leaders are expected to discuss economic and military ties.

TRT World reports.

Other issues that might also be examined include the visa row, US support to YPG/PYD, Daesh, as well as extradition of Pennsylvania-based cleric and businessman Fetullah Gulen.

Turkey has protested US support for the PYD, the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.

The PKK is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey. the EU and the US. But Washington sees it as a “reliable ally” in its fight against Daesh in Syria.

For more than 30 years, the PKK has waged a terror campaign against Turkey leading to the deaths of more than 40,000 security forces and civilians – including more than 1,200 since July 2015 alone.

Fetullah Gulen's organisation, which Turkey calls the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation or FETO, is accused of orchestrating last year's failed coup in Turkey in which more than 240 people were killed and over 2,200 wounded. 

Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, denies any involvement.

Yildirim’s trip comes amid signs of improving Turkish-US relations.

Both countries on Monday partially restored visa services after a nearly month-long row over Turkish staffers of a US mission arrested for alleged FETO ties.

The prime minister is also scheduled to meet US media representatives on Wednesday, as well as Turkish business leaders.