Erdogan: Trump and I See Eye to Eye on ‘Some’ Issues Regarding Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he reached “some agreements” with US President Donald Trump during a Monday phone conversation that took in events in Libya. “We reached some agreements during our call,” he told the state-owned TRT broadcaster. “There could be a new era between the US and Turkey regarding the process,” he added, apparently alluding to possible Libyan peace talks between the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and renegade general Khalifa Haftar. Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army appears to be retreating back toward its base in Benghazi following a yearlong offensive that brought some of its units to the suburbs of Tripoli, the capital and seat of power of the GNA. The tide appeared to turn against Haftar’s forces when Turkey sent troops in an advisory capacity to assist the GNA earlier this year. A statement issued by the White House in Washington acknowledged that Erdogan and Trump had spoken about events in the Middle East, including Libya, but mentioned no specifics regarding the North African country. US-Turkey relations have been strained in the past year or so over Ankara’s purchase of Russian missile systems and its involvement in Syria.