Turkey says ready to discuss issues with U.S. without threats

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is ready to discuss its ongoing issues with the United States as long as there are no threats, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday, amid a widening dispute between the NATO allies that has sent the Turkish currency plunging. Speaking to ambassadors in Ankara, Cavusoglu also said Turkey's relations with the European Union were on a firmer basis and normalizing once again. He said he would meet with the European Commission's deputy head Frans Timmermans to speed up talks on visa liberalization for Turks, while Turkish and Russian working groups would hold talks on visa-free travel to Russia after the Muslim Eid holiday next week. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Catherine Evans)