ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump spoke on Saturday on the phone to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, bilateral relations and regional developments.

According to an account of the phone call released by Erdogan’s office, the two leaders reiterated their solidarity in the fight against Covid-19.

They also discussed developments in Libya and Syria, agreeing to continue close political and military cooperation for regional stability, the statement said.

Turkey has seen a downward trajectory in infections and the death rate, but hundreds of people are still confirmed positive every day. The country has registered 154,500 infections and 4,276 deaths.

Turkey’s transport minister said that some intercity trains will resume limited operations May 28 as the country readies to restart domestic tourism. Passengers will be required to obtain a travel certification code from a government phone application. Travelers above 65 and under 20 will also need to get an additional travel permit as a full curfew imposed on those age groups continues, except for a few hours each week.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2020