Turkey has taken a step by the U.S. to exclude some provisions on the sale of F-16s to Ankara from the final text of the defense budget, Anadolu news agency reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Moldovan counterpart Niku Popesku in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that "the absence of a negative element (in the bill) is a positive thing."

Amendments in the U.S. House of Representatives making the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey subject to a number of conditions were removed from the final defense spending bill.

Approving the bill and completing the procurement would serve "everyone's interest," Cavusoglu said, adding that the process should be completed "as soon as possible."