Erdogan to hold phone conversation with Trump: Turkish officials

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish officials say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump — their first since the American leader took office, The Associated Press reports.

Officials from Erdogan's office said Tuesday, February 7 the conversation would take place shortly after midnight (2100 GMT). They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.

Turkey's relations with the United States under the Obama administration have been strained, with Ankara frequently expressing frustrations over what it perceives as U.S. reluctance to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the failed July 15 military coup.

Turkey has also been angered by U.S. support to Syrian Kurdish militia fighting the Islamic State group — considered as "terrorists" by Ankara because of their links Kurdish rebels in Turkey.