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 US could be developed after that," he said.

US 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.