Meeting of ​Erdoğan and Obama ends

Baku. 1 December. REPORT.AZ/ Washington supports Turkey’s right to self-defense, President Barack Obama has said after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the ongoing climate summit in Paris, Report informs citing the Turkish media.

“The U.S. supports Turkey’s right to defend itself,” Obama was quoted as saying by Reuters. 

He also reportedly stated that he and Erdoğan had discussed how Turkey and Russia can work together to get over the diplomatic crisis, which was caused by Turkey’s downing of a Russia fighter jet for repeatedly violating its airspace on November 24.

Obama told Putin that there is “no point in escalating tensions further.” 

Meanwhile, Erdoğan stated that his meeting with the U.S. president, which lasted about an hour, focused on the recent developments between Turkey and Russia, attempting to secure a diplomatic solution.

“Tensions in the region are saddening,” he said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday has underscored the importance of avoiding tensions between Russia and Turkey during his meeting with his American counterpart Barack Obama at the international climate talks in Paris.

President Erdoğan said that Turkey wants to avoid tensions with Russia, while Obama noted that the two leaders have discussed 'normalization' of relations between Turkey and Russia following the downing of a Russian warplane on November 24 over airspace violation.

Obama has said that Turkey is a NATO ally and has a right to defend itself. He said the U.S. is very interested in accelerating its military relationship with Turkey.

Obama underscored that the Daesh terrorist group is the common enemy, while alluding to U.S. efforts to persuade Russia to focus its airstrikes in Syria against Daesh.

The US president has also addressed the refugee crisis stemming from Syria's civil war. He praised Turkey for generously accepting Syrian refugees. He said border security has been strengthened.