Trump, Erdogan discuss Syria, bilateral ties

US President Donald Trump has spoken over phone with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the ongoing tension in Syria, and bilateral ties, said the White House.

The two leaders "agreed to continue to pursue a negotiated solution for Syria that achieves our respective security concerns", said the White House in a statement on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump and Erdogan also discussed "their mutual interest in expanding the trade relationship," the statement added.

The situation in Syria has been volatile in the past weeks following Washington's decision to withdraw troops from the war-torn country and the deaths of four Americans in a bomb attack which the extremist militia Islamic State claimed responsibility for.

Meanwhile, the US and Turkey have also been quarrelling over the Kurdish militia in northern Syria, a US ally in the anti-IS campaign but seen as a terrorist group by Ankara.

Washington has reportedly proposed to set up a security zone in northeastern Syria, a move welcomed by Ankara.

--IANS

pgh/