US Vice President Joe Biden says the United States is cooperating with Turkey in evaluating evidence against the Muslim cleric Ankara wants extradited following an attempted coup, but that legal standards must be met.
Speaking during a visit to Ankara on Wednesday, Biden said the United States would continue to cooperate as Turkey brings forward additional information about cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt.
Biden said the United States had no interest in protecting anyone who had done harm to an ally, and that Washington offered unwavering support to Turkey in the wake of the failed coup.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey and the United States should never allow incidents to harm their relations, and that Ankara expected the legal process to be conducted without delay.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is due to meet Biden later, earlier said Turkey would continue to provide US officials with documents to demand the extradition of Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999.
