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Turkish FM Cavusoglu says Ankara and US agreed to normalize relations Tillerson in Ankara pledges limited weapon supplies to SDF, says Manbij ‘priority’ in Syria
(about 1 hour later)
Washington and Ankara have agreed to improve bilateral relations which are at a “critical stage,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated following his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Washington and Ankara are making an effort to mend relations, strained over the former’s support of Kurdish forces in Syria. During a visit to Ankara, the US secretary of state said the ties were “too important.”
The Turkish foreign minister said that the US and Turkey agreed to establish mechanisms to tackle issues between two countries and hold a meeting by mid-March. Rex Tillerson tried to reassure Ankara over US’s involvement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), much of which is comprised of Kurdish YPG, outlawed in Turkey as a terrorist organization.
Tillerson stressed that both countries have common objectives in Syria, where Turkey is currently carrying out a military operation against US-backed Kurdish militias. The secretary of state vowed limited support to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the backbone of which is formed by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which is outlawed in Turkey as a terrorist organization. “We take it seriously when our NATO ally says it has security concerns,” Tillerson said at a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday. “We have always been clear with Turkey that the weapons provided to the Syrian Democratic Forces would be limited, mission specific, and provided on the incremental basis to achieve military objectives only.”
Tillerson also said that their “first priority” is to address Manbij, which Turkey earlier threatened to target in its offensive in Syria. The city is controlled by Kurds and is used by the US military to support Kurdish operations against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). Both Tillerson and Cavusoglu that the countries have found themselves at “a crisis point,” and have agreed to address “critical issues” in the bilateral relations.
Ankara now wants Washington to give guarantees over the border force in Syria’s Manbij, according to Cavusoglu. “We've decided, and President Erdogan decided last night, we needed to talk about how do we go forward? The relationship is too important,” Tillerson said.
The US earlier announced plans to create a 30,000-strong security border force in Syria, half of which would be recruited from the SDF. The decision infuriated Ankara, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowing to return the city to its “true owners.” He said that the "priority” was to address the situation around Manbij, which Turkey earlier threatened to target in its offensive in Syria. The city is controlled by Kurds and is used by the US military to support Kurdish operations against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
Tillerson called on Turkey to show restraint in its Operation Olive Branch in Afrin and avoid escalating tensions, stressing that the US recognizes Turkey’s legitimate right to secure its borders. As Turkey targeted Kurdish-controlled Afrin in its military operation, it also threatened to launch offensive in the city of Manbij. Ankara now demands Washington to give guarantees over the withdrawal of the Kurdish YPG forces, which could lead to Turkey and US joint deployment in the area.
“What is important is who will govern and provide security to these areas,” Cavusoglu said. “We will coordinate to restore stability in Manbij and other cities. We will start with Manbij. After YPG leaves there, we can take steps with the US based on trust.”