US proposals on safe zone in Syria not satisfactory - Turkish FM
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu seeks a consensus on Syria's safe zone as soon as possible, saying Ankara has run out of patience.
American special forces escort a YPG unit in the town of Darbasiya next to the Turkish border, Syria in the late April 2017. YPG, PKK's Syrian wing, is the backbone of US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.
Recent proposals by US officials on the establishment of a safe zone in Syria fall short of what is needed, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
New US proposals on a Syria safe zone are not at all satisfactory for Turkey, Cavusoglu told a press conference after meeting his Nicaraguan counterpart Denis Moncada Colindres.
Ankara and Washington need to make an agreement as soon as possible because Turkey has run out of patience, he said.
The establishment of a long-awaited committee to revise Syria’s constitution is on the horizon and might be announced in the coming days, he added.
Earlier this week, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and US envoy to Syria James Jeffrey met in the capital Ankara to exchange views along with military officials from both sides.
The only military force that is ready, competent, and appropriate for the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria is the Turkish armed forces, Akar had told acting US defence secretary, Mark Esper, before he was confirmed as such on Tuesday.
The Manbij road map, a long-awaited committee to revise Syria’s constitution, and a political solution to Syria crisis ensuring the territorial integrity of the war-torn country were among the issues of the meeting between US envoy to Syria James Jeffrey (L) and Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin (R).
'Cooperation should be transparent'
Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and James Jeffrey also met in the capital Ankara and discussed the proposal for a safe zone east of Euphrates River and recent developments in Syria, as well as counter-terrorism, particularly against Daesh and the YPG/PKK.
Kalin said the cooperation between Turkey and the US regarding Syria should be based on trust and transparency.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Ankara said that the discussions were "forthright, positive and productive."
"There was an overall discussion on Syria and specifically for the northeast, both sides committed to accelerated and concrete progress on the Manbij Roadmap, and discussed detailed proposals to enhance Turkey's security along the Turkish border in northeast Syria," the statement read.
Since 2016, Turkey has conducted two major military operations in northwestern Syria — Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch — to purge the region of terrorist groups Daesh and the YPG, which is the Syrian branch of the PKK.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people.
It is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU.
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