US Defense Secretary in Turkey to discuss Iraq and Syria

US Defense Secretary in Turkey to discuss Iraq and Syria

Arab and international Since 2017-08-23 at 18:17 (Baghdad time)

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US Defense Secretary Jim Matisse held talks in Ankara on Wednesday on the arming of an armed Kurdish group that Turkey considers terrorist in a move that has cast a shadow over relations between the two countries.
Mates arrived in Ankara for a day coming from Iraq, where he discussed the progress of operations against a sympathetic organization, and urged the partners of the Washington-led coalition not to allow political issues to block the momentum of operations against terrorists.
He held talks in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Noureddine Ganikli and later met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and a member of the international coalition against a sympathetic organization, is angry at Washington's arming of Kurdish people's protection units in its fight against a militant organization in Raqqa, the stronghold of the extremist organization in northern Syria.
In May, the Pentagon announced that it had begun to hand over light weapons and mechanisms to the Kurdish People's Protection Units to support its role as part of the operations of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab factions fighting a pro-Syrian organization.
The weapons include AK-47s (AK-47s) and machine guns with small caliber bullets
• what ever the price
Erdogan has repeatedly vowed that Turkey will thwart any attempt by the Kurdish People's Protection Units and its political wing the Democratic Union Party to establish an independent Kurdish state in northern Syria, leaving the possibility of a cross-border military operation to get the Syrian town of Afrin out of Kurdish hands.
"Turkey will not allow a terrorist corridor in northern Syria to reach the Mediterranean Sea," Erdogan told reporters aboard his plane as he returned from a visit to Jordan.
"Whatever the price, we will intervene, which is dictated by necessity," the newspaper Harriet quoted him as saying on Wednesday.
In August last year, Turkey launched a cross-border operation in northern Syria aimed at clearing the border area of ​​PKK fighters and jihadists.
Erdogan said that "we have the same degree of determination with regard to Afrin, and things are going as we have planned for now," without giving further details.
Erdogan, who complained about Washington's arming of the Kurdish People's Protection Units, said nearly 1,000 trucks had crossed the border from Iraq to Syria carrying weapons destined for Syria's democratic forces, which Turkey fears could reach the PKK.
The growing presence of terrorists in the northwestern province of Idlib has raised concerns among Ankara, Moscow and Tehran.
The Turkish president hinted that there was a plan for Idlib, which is controlled by the Sham Liberation Organization (an alliance of Islamic factions, including the Nasra Front), but gave no further details.
• Fear of a referendum for Kurds
US officials said Tuesday that they were giving "priority" to the battle against a militant organization since the capture of the Iraqi city of Mosul last month from the hands of jihadists.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, which also plays a crucial role in the fight against an organization calling for a referendum on independence in September,
But as the date approaches, the plan creates further unease in the region.
On Tuesday, Mates met with Kurdish President Massoud Barzani in Arbil to voice US opposition to the referendum.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mouloud Zhaoshoglu, who visited Baghdad on Wednesday to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and other Iraqi officials, stressed Ankara's opposition to the referendum.
"We have told them that their decision is wrong," Zhaoshoglu said. "What we expect is clear and simple: the referendum resolution should be canceled."
Chaouchoglu will also meet Barzani in Erbil, where he said he would personally inform the self-governing government of his position.
The United States is also concerned about the improvement in relations between Iran and Turkey after the visit of the commander of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Hussein Baqi, Turkey last week, where both parties agreed to strengthen security in the region and oppose the Kurdish referendum.
Erdogan said on Monday a joint operation with Iran against Kurdish groups based in Iraq was "always on the table."
"The United States remains committed to taking our share against Da'ash, and this is our share of the leadership and support of our partners," he said. "The coalition includes more than 69 countries and four international nations."
He and Matisse discussed the important ceasefire initiative negotiated by the United States, Jordan and Russia in southwestern Syria and was complemented by President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hamburg, in addition to the bilateral issues discussed in the meetings with the Jordanian king. On 7 July.
"It has been around six weeks so far, it's steadfast and the fighting has largely stopped, and we're starting to see people go home, something we want to see continue," he said.
He said he visited Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq before joining the minister in Jordan and described the successful efforts in these countries, including "Saudi Arabia and Iraq after many years to make an encouraging and historic rapprochement." The Arar border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Iraq will open for the first time since 1990 About 1,200 pilgrims a day pass through. "
The Saudi minister of trade is also visiting Iraq to discuss trade through the crossing, allowing Iraq access to the Red Sea for the first time in nearly 30 years, Iraqis and Jordanians are actively discussing the opening of the border crossing of Trebil, a trade route for goods worth about one billion dollars a month.
McGuck spent two days in Syria on the ground meeting with the US team and the leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the north of Raqqa, a tough battle that he said was over 55 to 60 percent.
"We have also met with local councils and a number of tribal elders who work closely with us for a daunting defeat, we have stable diplomats on the ground and humanitarian elements, the visit was very encouraging," McGork said.
McGowork met in Iraq with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who announced another crackdown on Tal Afar, the last major city controlled by the terrorist group in northern Iraq.
"This battle will be very difficult, but even in the first 24 hours, about 235 square kilometers have been cleared and everything is going well," McGork said.
Matisse is on his first visit as defense minister to Jordan and Ukraine and will visit Turkey on a five-day trip to reaffirm US commitment to strategic partnerships in the Middle East and Europe, Pentagon officials said.
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