Turkey on Wednesday named Sedat Onal as its new ambassador to Washington, tapping a career diplomat who currently heads Turkey’s mission to the United Nations and has 35 years of experience in the diplomatic corps, Ezgi Akin reports from Ankara in this revealing profile.
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Analysts say that in tapping a careerist as opposed to a political appointee, the government appears to be sending a message to the Biden administration that it is committed to a more constructive relationship.
Onal was one of three deputy foreign ministers between 2018 and 2023 who played key roles in navigating stormy relations with Washington.
US-Turkey reset
Onal’s appointment comes amid a reset in US-Turkey relations after years of tension since Turkey purchased Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems in 2017, prompting retaliatory measures from Washington, including sanctions, which pushed Ankara more firmly into Moscow’s orbit.
However, US-Turkish relations turned a new page after Ankara finally ratified Sweden’s NATO bid and the US Congress agreed in recent weeks to sell Turkey the much-coveted F-16 fighter jets.