Turkey gets results by cooperating with Russia - Cavusoglu

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday Turkey's cooperation with Russia has been fruitful, while the meetings of the anti-Daesh coalition – formed by 65 countries – were "futile."

“We achieve results with our cooperation with Russia,” Cavusoglu said in a speech on Turkish foreign policy at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).

Cavusoglu said, "Our cooperation with Russia started in Aleppo, and then we added Iran to this cooperation. Whatever we agreed on, we applied. Therefore, no one should be disturbed by this. On the contrary, they should support this.”

TRT World 's Hasan Abdullah has more on the story.

“We meet with the coalition, but there is no result. There is a coalition against Daesh with 65 countries in it. Sixty-five countries cannot fight Daesh; and some of our allies in the coalition appeal to another terrorist organisation,” Cavusoglu said.

“This is essentially an indication of the insincerity and uncertainty of the global system. Sixty-five countries form a coalition against a terrorist organisation, and the Daesh terrorist organisation is still everywhere. We have to question this.”

“We are neither responsible for the problems of the world nor is it up to Turkey or Russia to solve them. Then the global system, the international organisations need to be more effective,” Cavusoglu added.

The Global Coalition Against Daesh (GCAD) was formed in September 2014 and is committed to degrading and defeating the terror group.

Beyond the military campaign in Syria and Iraq, the coalition also aims to tackle Daesh's financing and economic infrastructure, prevent foreign terrorists from crossing borders and support stabilisation and restoration in the areas cleared from Daesh.

The US-led coalition has called the YPG – the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group – a “reliable ally” in its fight against Daesh, despite strong protests by Turkey.

On January 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear Syria's Afrin region of the YPG and Daesh, after months of warnings that it was preparing for the operation. 

The PKK terror organisation is responsible for over 40,000 deaths and has carried out a violent campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years.

It has been listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the European Union.