National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and the Turkish Armed Forces [TAF] command echelon held a meeting at the ministry following talks between delegations with the United States.

The military delegations of both countries have agreed to continue joint work on the "Safe Zone" facility, the ministry said after Secretary Akar received the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, James Jeffrey on Monday. The military delegations of the two countries also held some meetings regarding the safe zone.

"At the meeting where Minister Akar met with the TAF officials, both these talks were evaluated and possible military offensive against terrorist targets in the east of the Euphrates was discussed," the ministry said.

Satisfaction was expressed in the meeting on the U.S. President Donald Trump's positive stance on the F-35 in talks with both President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. senators, as well as the expectation that the process will result in a positive outcome.

Turkish Defense Minister and top military officials underlined in the meeting that 100 Boeing passenger planes to be supplied from the United States is also a good example of the strategic partnership between Turkey and the United States.

It was also emphasized in the meeting that it is Turkey's right as a strategic partner to ask the U.S. to abandon the current approach to the F-35 project and to avoid steps that could damage relations between the two countries.

"Otherwise, it would be natural for Turkey to seek other options," the ministry said. (ILKHA)