US Secretary of State Tillerson to visit Turkey on March 30: FM Çavuşoğlu

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Turkey on March 30, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said late March 16. 

A meeting of the two countries’ presidents is also in discussions.

"The U.S. State Secretary said he wanted to come on March 30 and I told him that this would suit us in Ankara. If our Prime Minister is in Ankara, he will meet him,” Çavuşoğlu told private broadcaster HaberTürk.

He also said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet U.S. President Donald Trump after the April 16 referendum, and will meet Tillerson if possible.

The meeting is expected to host the highest level of talks with a senior official from the new administration, as Ankara hopes to have better relations with the White House. 

CIA chief Mike Pompeo visited Ankara on February in his first foreign visit after Trump’s inauguration in January.

Turkey has greater hopes for Ankara-Washington ties after relations with former U.S. President Barack Obama strained, especially over Syria.