Turkish FM, US counterpart may meet in Singapore

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo are expected to meet in Singapore on Friday.

Cavusoglu and Pompoe were set to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore before the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Turkish ministers.

The two top diplomats frequently talk over the phone on the latest developments in Syria, the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the U.S.-based leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the delivery of F-35 fighter-jets and the issue of American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.

The latest of the phone talk came on Wednesday upon the request of the U.S. side, which marked the fourth such conversation over the last 15 days.

On Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. was imposing sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.

Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".

Turkey strongly protested against a decision by the U.S. Treasury Department to impose sanctions on two ministers, calling on the U.S. administration to reverse its "wrong decision".

Reporting by Nazli Yuzbasioglu:Writing by Cansu Dikme