'US-Turkey talks may be postponed after Tillerson exit'

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MARCH 14: The Turkish foreign minister’s trip to Washington scheduled for March 19 might be delayed due to the changing of the guard at the U.S. State Department, Turkey’s top diplomat said on March 14, 2018. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's remarks came during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced CIA Director Mike Pompeo as his pick to be the country’s new secretary of state, ousting Rex Tillerson."We would like to work with new secretary of state in the same vein," said Cavusoglu. Turkey and the U.S. have been trying to iron out a number of issues, principally concerning the terrorist YPG/PKK in Syria, which the U.S. has worked with, calling it a "reliable ally."In the Russian capital, Cavusoglu is also expected to attend a series of meetings, including the sixth Turkish-Russian Joint Strategic Planning Group Meeting. During the press conference, Lavrov accused the U.S. of trying to split Syria.“I know the U.S.’ intention of establishing a base in Syria,” said Lavrov. "They are resorting to some methods to cause Syria to split.”Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.According to UN officials, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict. (Footage by Tolga Ciplak/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)