President Obama is getting the cold shoulder from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Mr. Erdogan told a government-run television station on Monday that differences over the White House’s policies in Syria and Gaza have caused a diplomatic rift big enough to cause him not to talk to the U.S. president, Agence France Presse reported Tuesday.
“In the past, I was calling him [Obama] directly. Because I can’t get the expected results on Syria, our foreign ministers are now talking to each other,” Erdogan said late Monday, the news service reported. He added that he still does speak to U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden.
The Turkish prime minister is upset that the Obama administration has not done more to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad from power. He is also opposed to Israel’s ongoing military offensive against Hamas in Gaza.
“I expect justice in this process. I couldn’t imagine something like this from those who are championing justice,” Mr. Erdogan added, AFP reported.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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