While some Western allies have voiced support in principle, the idea has gained no traction overseas because of concerns that it could bring the West into direct confrontation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
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U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute is playing down the Turkish president’s ultimatum, while underlining the importance of the Syrian Kurdish groups.
Turkey has summoned the U.S. ambassador to “convey unease” a day after the U.S. State Department spokesman said that, unlike Turkey, Washington doesn’t recognize Syrian Kurdish forces as “terrorists”. The State Department confirmed the meeting took place, but declined to describe the tone or subject of the meeting, the Wall Street Journal reported.
By taking in the refugees that have fled Aleppo, he said Turkey would be indirectly contributing to what he termed as an “ethnic cleansing”.
Syrian Kurdish separatists on Wednesday opened a representation in Moscow amid a push by the Kremlin to have them included in Syria peace talks despite Turkey’s objections.
“How can we trust (you)?” he added.
U.S. Presidential Envoy to Anti-Islamic State Coalition Brett McGurk arrived in Kobani over the weekend, officials said February 1, 2016.
Turkish security forces opened fire Tuesday on 7 militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the Cizre district of Sirnak provinceas they were entering Turkey from Syria, the army said in a statement. “It is not possible to understand what type of partnership this is”.
Erdogan’s comments come as he faces pressure to allow in 30,000 Syrians stranded on the border with Turkey.
An offensive by Syrian forces, Hezbollah and Shiite militias directed by Iran and backed by Russian bombing raids has reversed opposition gains on the ground and encircled rebels inside Aleppo. “The International Committee of the Red Cross said the humanitarian situation in the Aleppo area is deteriorating rapidly as supply routes used for bringing in aid have been cut”.
As well as battling both a Kurdish insurgency and Islamic State, Turkey has been grappling with an influx of more than 2.5 million refugees since the start of the Syrian civil war.
The PKK is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and much of the global community.
The governor denied accusations that Turkey had closed its border to the refugees, insisting instead that it had chosen to assist the new arrivals at the displaced peoples’ camps just across the border, but would admit them if the need arises later.
Turkey regards the PYD and the YPG as an offshoot of the outlawed PKK, with which it has been in armed clashes since the 1980s. “Is there a difference with the YPG?” asked Erdoğan.
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“We do not have the word “idiot” written on our foreheads”. However, under United States law, the PYD is not considered a terrorist group and U.S. officials repeatedly said that their cooperation with the PYD against ISIL will continue.
