Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks to the media at the U.S. State Department after being fired by President Donald Trump in Washington, U.S. March 13, 2018. (Reuters photo)
ANKARA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Relations between Turkey and United States do not depend on individuals, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was sacked by President Donald Trump.
Speaking to the reporters in Ankara before leaving for Baku, Azerbaijan, Yildirim said: "Whoever comes in, Turkey's stance is clear. It is not so important to us what the new secretary thinks about Turkey."
"I hope healthier relations with the U.S. could be developed after that," he said.
U.S. President Trump on Tuesday announced that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was replaced with Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Mike Pompeo.
Tillerson's sudden sacking has sparked worries over the Trump administration's future foreign policies amid mounting uncertainties.
Tillerson had been at odds with Trump over a number of key foreign policy issues, including climate change and the nuclear deal with Iran, during his nearly 14-month tenure.