White House: Bush-Erdogan meeting not enough to repair damaged relationship

White House authorities are saying that the meetings between US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan two days ago were an opportunity to change the direction of recent relations between Turkey and the US, but that they "were not enough to fully repair relations." Syria matter According to Hurriyet's White House sources, the US sees a "strategic similarity but tactical difference" in Turkish and American approaches to Syria. Erdogan's approach to Turkey's southern neighbor is of great interest in Washington, as Syria's role in the Middle East is one which the US is following closely. Sources in the White House say that the preferred method of relations with Syria would be to "completely isolate it, and put pressure on Assad." This is not, however, Erdogan's approach. Sources also say that the meetings between Bush and Erdogan touched on anti-Americanism in Turkey, and that this matter "depends more on what Erdogan will do or say that what Turkish public opinion is."  Bush: Show them what a tolerant leader you are Another subject which arose during the meeting between the two leaders was freedom of religion and belief for minorities in Turkey. In particular, there was a demand made to ease the way of the Fener Greek Patriarchate in Istanbul, and to allow for the opening of the controversial monastery on Istanbul's Heybeliada Island. Bush apparently stressed to Erdogan that by acquiescing to the demands of the minorities in Turkey, he would show the rest of Europe that he was a "tolerant leader." Â