Ankara:

US Support to Kurds Imperils Turkey's Security

TEHRAN (defapress)- Turkey’s top diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an exclusive interview with the Canadian-based, Ottawa Life Magazine, in Canada, that ongoing American military support for Kurdish fighters not only jeopardizes Turkey’s security but also poisons the long-standing bilateral partnership between Washington and Ankara.

News ID: 68437

Date: 03 February 2018 - 15:35

Cavusoglu added that the US and Turkey are in a delicate period because Ankara and Washington hold different views on important issues, including PYD/YPG terrorists in Syria and the presence of the FETO terrorist organization in the United States, Anadolu Agency reported.

"As a NATO ally, Turkey rightly asks the US to prioritize Turkey’s vital security concerns over the US’ short-term tactical policy goals,” he stressed, adding that "However, Turkey and the US are long-standing allies, and our relations are time-tested."

While highlighting the importance of Turkish-American cooperation for bilateral relations and the future of the region, Cavusoglu underlined that Ankara continues high-level contacts with Washington and believes it is important to keep communication channels open.

"We need to focus on a positive agenda from which both sides can benefit. Enhancing economic relations is also a priority for both sides," he said, noting his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Vancouver regarding current difficulties in bilateral relation and Turkey's expectations from the US

"We would like to increase our bilateral trade volume [17.5 billion dollars in 2016] and encourage mutual investments," the Turkish diplomat added.

Turkey’s Operation ‘Olive Branch’ kicked off mid-January from air and ground around the area of Afrin in Syria's Aleppo to oust the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara views as a terror organization and the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK).

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stressed that Turkish offensive in Afrin is part of Ankara's strategy based on supporting terrorists.

The Syrian government has condemned the “brutal Turkish aggression” against the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, rejecting Ankara’s claim about having informed Damascus of the operation.