Turkey expects positive results in talks with US over sanctions spat

Negotiations with the United States are progressing positively, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Thursday.

“Our negotiations with the U.S. are progressing positively. Both sides possess common sense. We expect positive results to be achieved soon,” the source said.

It was stated that the negotiations were being conducted with a group of officials close to U.S. President Donald Trump, and that Senator Lindsay Graham was a part of the group.

On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. would impose sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.

Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly protested against U.S. Treasury Department's decision, calling on the U.S. administration to reverse its "wrong decision".