UPDATE - Erdogan, Trump discuss bilateral, regional issues

By Sinan Uslu /Safvan Allahverdi

ADDS WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed bilateral and regional issues in a phone call Thursday, according to the Turkish presidency.

“Our president held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Trump. Bilateral and regional issues were discussed,” Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told Anadolu Agency.

Kalin said later in a statement that the two leaders agreed to continue collaboration for common strategic goals and resolve issues that negatively affect bilateral relations.

“The importance of strengthening relations between the two NATO allies and strategic partners was discussed,” he added.

Echoing Kalin's remarks, the White House released a statement saying that Washington and Ankara reaffirmed the importance of strong relations.

Describing Turkey and the U.S. as "NATO allies and strategic partners", the statement said “the two leaders committed to continue efforts to intensify cooperation on shared strategic challenges and to address the concerns of both countries that affect bilateral relations".