Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 16-17, Anadolu reported.

Erdogan, in an interview with A News channel on April 20, said that he plans to pay a visit to China on May 15-16, and from Beijing he will leave for the United States.

"The meeting with Trump is scheduled for May 16-17," Erdogan said, noting that it is necessary to increase the trade turnover with the U.S. to the level of $50 billion.

The Turkish leader is sure that his visit to the U.S. would be "productive and timely."

Erdogan further added that Trump would do what former President Barack Obama failed to do regarding Fetullah Gulen, U.S.-based mastermind of last July's failed coup. "I believe Trump will do what President Obama failed to do in this regard," Erdogan said.

The president said he expected the U.S. to take the necessary administrative decision to prevent Gulen from operating a terrorist organization in Pennsylvania.

"This terrorist leader is residing in a country, which is our strategic ally, and it is upsetting not only me but also the Turkish nation,” he added. "I think they will at least call him to account.”

Gulen's extradition will be high on agenda, as well as Syria and Iraq topics during the high-level talks.

Led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, FETO is accused of orchestrating the July 2016 coup plot in Turkey as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The Turkish government has repeatedly requested Gulen’s extradition, while the Obama administration has said extradition is a lengthy, demanding legal procedure.

The extradition treaty includes an article that a suspect should be provisionally arrested until the extradition process starts.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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