Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the United States was Turkey's "strategic partner, not our enemy", after Ankara repeatedly criticised Washington for failing to extradite Pennsylvania-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for the July 15 coup bid.

"There can be ups and downs in the two countries' relations (but) we need to remove elements that harm our relations," Yildirim told journalists at a briefing in Istanbul, referring to Gulen.