U.S., Turkish leaders discuss next steps to fight IS

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday discussed by phone with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the next steps to fight the Islamic State (IS), the White House said.

"The president recognized the contributions of Turkey, our NATO ally, to the campaign, especially in supporting local Syrian forces who have cleared ISIL from Turkey's border in northwest Syria," the White House said in a statement, using the acronym for IS.

Obama noted the need for close coordination between the U.S. and Turkey to build on these successes and to apply sustained pressure on IS in Syria to reduce threats to the U.S., Turkey, and elsewhere, it said.

Obama welcomed continued dialogue between Turkey and Iraq to determine the appropriate level and form of Turkey's participation in the counter-IS coalition's efforts in Iraq, while both leaders affirmed their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, it said.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of denying the PKK a safe haven in northern Iraq, it added, referring to the Kurdish Workers' Party that has been waging an armed struggle since 1984 for self-determination for the Kurds in Turkey.

The PKK, which is based in Turkey and Iraq, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. Endi