Readout of the President’s Call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey

The President spoke today by phone with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to express his condolences for the many killed and wounded in the horrific terrorist attack against a nightclub in Istanbul on December 31, for which ISIL has claimed responsibility, as well as the December 17 attack against off-duty Turkish security personnel in Kayseri, for which TAK, a wing of the PKK, has claimed responsibility. The two leaders agreed that Turkey and the United States must continue to stand united in order to defeat terrorism. President Obama welcomed Turkey’s ongoing efforts to work with regional actors to facilitate a nationwide ceasefire in Syria and a return to political negotiations between the Syrian regime and the opposition. President Obama and President Erdogan noted recent progress in the Coalition’s campaign against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, and agreed on the need to continue and deepen coordination between the United States and Turkey. Finally, the leaders discussed Cyprus and expressed hope that upcoming diplomatic engagements will result in an agreement to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation.