{"id":99343,"date":"2018-08-05T17:31:46","date_gmt":"2018-08-05T17:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/05\/pompeo-despite-tensions-turkey-remains-a-key-us-ally\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:48:30","slug":"pompeo-despite-tensions-turkey-remains-a-key-us-ally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/08\/05\/pompeo-despite-tensions-turkey-remains-a-key-us-ally\/","title":{"rendered":"Pompeo: Despite tensions, Turkey remains a key US ally"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SINGAPORE \u2014 Despite a sharp deterioration in relations<\/a> over the detention of an American pastor, the United States and Turkey remain valued partners, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Saturday, in an apparent bid to ease tensions that have rocked ties between the NATO allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pompeo told reporters on the sidelines of an Asian security forum in Singapore that the two countries would continue to work with each other in the framework of the alliance and on other matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Turkey is a NATO partner with whom the United States has every intention of continuing to work cooperatively,” Pompeo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this week, the Trump administration took the rare, if not unprecedented, step of hitting two senior Turkish officials with sanctions over the case of Pastor Andrew Brunson, who remains in detention despite repeated demands from President Donald Trump for his release. Pompeo met on Friday with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss the matter behind closed doors and said those talks had been “constructive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I made clear that it is well past time that Pastor Brunson be freed and be permitted to return to the United States,” he said, adding that several detained local State Department employees should also be released. “I am hopeful that in the coming days we will see that occur,” Pompeo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He acknowledged \u201clots of challenges\u201d with Turkey, but said Washington and Ankara had been able to work closely and well together. They have been at odds over numerous matters, including military activity in northern Syria<\/a> and Turkey\u2019s plans to purchase an advanced air defense system from Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t