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By APD writer Aditya Nugraha
ISTANBUL, Oct. 17** (APD)-** Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to continue its military operation in northern Syria ahead of the United States Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visit in Ankara on Thursday.
Their visit to Turkey was intended to meet Erdogan, possibly to persuade Turkey for a cease-fire in its Syria military campaign following recent phone call between Erdogan and the United States President Donald Trump.
In the phone conversation Trump has offered a mediation solution to end Ankara’s offensive in northern Syria since last week, reports said.
“There are some leaders who are trying to mediate. There has never been any such thing in the history of the Turkish Republic as the state sitting at the same table with a terror organization,” Erdogan said in an address to parliament prior to the talks.
Speaking to reporters after his parliamentary address, Erdogan said that he would not meet the visiting United States top delegation.
“I am standing tall. I will not meet them, I will speak when Trump comes,” he said.
Turkish’s operation in northern Syria was intended to oust YPG Kurdish militias, which records decades-long insurgency inside Turkey territory. Turkey has labeled the Kurdish militia as a terrorist group.
Besides that plan, Turkey also planned to set up a “safe zone” in the area to relocate part of the 3,500 Syrian refugees now sheltered in Turkey camps.
On the other hand, the YPG Kurdish militias were Washington’s ally in its war against Islamic State (IS).
Turkey’s offensive in Syria was also opposed by European countries with many of them have suspended their arms sales to Turkey.
The offensive was also feared to escape IS European foreign fighters now detained in Kurdish militia prisons that may make them return to their origin countries in Europe.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
