Erdogan on the Warpath Against PKK/YPG: Joint Turkish U.S. Statement on Syria
“With Operation Peace Spring, Turkey has taken down the theatre of blackmails and schemes and has revealed the truth” Reporting Erdogan official website
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed district governors during a meeting at the Presidential Complex.
“THE SUCCESS OF THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE U.S. AND RUSSIA IS CONTINGENT ON THE TOTAL ELIMINATION OF THE PKK/YPG AND DAESH FROM SYRIA”
President Erdoğan said: “The success of the agreements we have reached with the U.S. and Russia is contingent on the total elimination of the PKK/YPG and DAESH terror organizations’ presence from Syrian lands starting from our borders. We express this to our counterparts, too, at every opportunity.”
Stressing Turkey’s determination in the fight against terror both at home and beyond its borders, President Erdoğan stated: “Whether they be the U.S., Russia, the regime or any other power, if they attempt to put any terrorist organization in our way under different names and flags or in different uniforms, we will never fall for any such game. If that turns out to be the case, no offence but we will never hesitate to walk down our own path. And we will never calculate the magnitude of the price we may have to pay on that path. That game had been staged many times in the past; yet, the entire world has now accepted that the PKK and the YPG are the same organization.”
Following is the press statement on the phone call between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Donald Trump of the United States:
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a telephone conversation with President Donald J. Trump of the U.S. this evening.
The leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as the planned safe zone east of the Euphrates River.
President Erdoğan expressed that a safe zone was a must for creating the conditions for the elimination of the terror threat posed by the PKK-YPG and for the return of Syrian refugees to their country.
It was underscored that Turkey, determined to continue the fight against DAESH terrorist organization in Syria, would take all kinds of measures in order to prevent the recurrence of such a problem in the region ever again.
The frustration over U.S. military and security bureaucracy’s failure to fulfill the agreement between the two nations was shared with Mr. Trump.
Upon U.S. President Trump’s invitation, the two leaders decided to meet next month in Washington, D.C.
“THOSE WHO HAD FOR YEARS SEEN DAESH AS AN EXCUSE TO PROTECT THE PKK/YPG HAVE NOW SEEN THAT BOTH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE”
President Erdoğan continued as follows: “Likewise, those who had for years seen DAESH as an excuse to protect the PKK/YPG have now seen that both of the organizations serve the same purpose just like two sides of the same coin. It is so painful that the international community has for such a long time become a toy of the blackmail the two terrorist organizations have plotted in collusion. It is even more painful that big states have attempted to stand behind this tragic game in earnest. Operation Peace Spring, which Turkey launched at 4 p.m. on October 9, has taken down the theatre of blackmails and schemes and has revealed the truth.”
17.10.2019
JOINT TURKISH-US STATEMENT ON NORTHEAST SYRIA
1. The US and Turkey reaffirm their relationship as fellow members of NATO. The US understands Turkey’s legitimate security concerns on Turkey’s southern border.
2. Turkey and the US agree that the conditions on the ground, northeast Syria in particular, necessitate closer coordination on the basis of common interests.
3. Turkey and the US remain committed to protecting NATO territories and NATO populations against all threats with the solid understanding of “one for all and all for one”.
4. The two countries reiterate their pledge to uphold human life, human rights, and the protection of religious and ethnic communities.
5. Turkey and the US are committed to D-ISIS/DAESH activities in northeast Syria. This will include coordination on detention facilities and internally displaced persons from formerly ISIS/DAESH-controlled areas, as appropriate.
6. Turkey and the US agree that counter-terrorism operations must target only terrorists and their hideouts, shelters, emplacements, weapons, vehicles and equipment.
7. The Turkish side expressed its commitment to ensure safety and well-being of residents of all population centers in the safe zone controlled by the Turkish Forces (safe zone) and reiterated that maximum care will be exercised in order not to cause harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.
8. Both countries reiterate their commitment to the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria and UN-led political process, which aims at ending the Syrian conflict in accordance with UNSCR 2254.
9. The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the re-collection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions.
10. The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces and the two sides will increase their cooperation in all dimensions of its implementation.
11. The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal.
12. Once Operation Peace Spring is paused, the US agrees not to pursue further imposition of sanctions under the Executive Order of October 14, 2019, Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria, and will work and consult with Congress, as appropriate, to underline the progress being undertaken to achieve peace and security in Syria, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. Once Operation Peace Spring is halted as per paragraph 11 the current sanctions under the aforementioned Executive Order shall be lifted.
13. Both parties are committed to work together to implement all the goals outlined in this Statement.