Erdogan talks tough over US sanctions threat
Print Edition
Russia offered yesterday to mediate a resolution in northern Syria, ahead of a mission by US Vice President Mike Pence to press Turkey for a ceasefire in its attack on Syrian Kurdish fighters.
Ahead of talks with Pence, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defied US economic sanctions, saying the only way its military offensive would end was if Syrian Kurdish fighters leave a designated border area.
Erdogan also said he had 鈥渘o problem鈥 accepting an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Russia soon to discuss Syria.
But he threw into doubt a planned November 13 meeting with US President Donald Trump, citing anger over the sanctions that Washington imposed on Monday on the NATO ally.
Turkey will not be coerced
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is committed to mediating between Syria and Turkey.
The American move effectively abandoned the Kurdish fighters allied with the US and cleared the way for Turkey鈥檚 invasion aimed at crushing them. After heavy criticism at home, Trump sought new leverage with Turkey by imposing the sanctions.
In an address to his ruling party legislators, Erdogan said Turkey would not be coerced into halting its offensive or accepting offers for mediation with the Kurdish fighters, which Turkey considers to be terrorists.
He vowed to press ahead with the incursion until Turkish troops reach 30-35 kilometers inside Syria to form a 鈥渟afe zone鈥 along the border area.
鈥淥ur proposal is for the terrorists to lay down their arms, leave their equipment, destroy the traps they have created and leave the safe zone we designated, as of tonight,鈥 Erdogan said.
鈥淚f this is done, our Operation Peace Spring will end by itself.鈥
Erdogan鈥檚 office confirmed he would meet today with Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
But anger over the sanctions hung over the upcoming talks. Trump has taken a tough tone, warning that the US has 鈥渁 lot in store鈥 if Turkey doesn鈥檛 comply with ceasefire demands.
Pence said the US is 鈥渟imply not going to tolerate Turkey鈥檚 invasion of Syria any longer.鈥
Erdogan said he was not concerned by the sanctions.
He said chances for his November trip to Washington are 鈥渟omething to be assessed鈥 after the talks with the American delegation, adding the sanctions and criticisms in the US constituted 鈥済reat disrespect toward the Turkish Republic.鈥
He ruled out direct or indirect talks with the Kurdish fighters, saying Turkey will not negotiate with 鈥渢errorists.鈥
鈥淲e are not looking for a peace mediator, nor do we need one.鈥
In a speech to Parliament, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey won鈥檛 be affected by 鈥渟anctions and threats.鈥
鈥淣o sanctions or threats are acceptable and will not affect our resolve,鈥 he said.
America鈥檚 abrupt withdrawal of its troops pushed the Kurds to strike a deal with the Russia-backed government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
This allowed his forces to return to regions of northern Syria that they had abandoned at the height of the 8-year-old civil war.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
