US President Donald Trump said that if the Turkish military opens fire on Kurdish formations in northeastern Syria, severe sanctions will be imposed against Ankara. He wrote about this on Twitter.
“Turkey is fully aware of the inadmissibility of fire on the Kurds, while they leave the territory, which will later be known as a safe zone, heading to nearby areas. It is unnecessary to repeat that a violation (of this prohibition. - RT ) will entail large-scale sanctions. Everything goes well! The situation with ISIS is under the control of the Kurds, and Turkey is ready to help, ”said the American leader.
Turkey fully understands not to fire on the Kurds as they leave what will be known as the Safe Zone for other fairly nearby areas. I don't have to repeat that large scale Sanctions will be imposed for violations. Going well! ISIS secured by Kurds with Turkey ready as backup .....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2019He added that US troops had been in the Middle East longer than required and could now return home.
“Our soldiers leave Syria for other countries, and then they will return home! We were supposed to be there for 30 days - as it was supposed 10 years ago. When these stupid experts, who have been mistaken about the Middle East for 20 years, ask what we get from the deal, I just say: oil, we are returning our soldiers home, the situation with ISIS * is under control! ”Trump emphasized.
A statement of possible sanctions came just two days after Trump lifted the restrictions imposed on Turkey on October 23. He explained the lifting of the restrictions by the fact that the ceasefire between Turkish and Kurdish armed groups was not violated for five days from the moment it began.
However, the US president then noted that Washington was ready to re-impose sanctions, including raising export tariffs from Turkey, if Ankara took steps that would not "make the United States happy".
“We reserve the right to impose sanctions again, including a substantial increase in duties on steel and all other goods from Turkey,” Trump emphasized on October 23.
In response, Turkey once again protested about the contacts of American officials with representatives of Kurdish militias.
The republic’s Foreign Ministry expressed indignation at the fact that US representatives were in contact with the commander of the Kurdish troops of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDS) Maslum Abdi.
In turn, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 24 that the Turkish Ministry of Justice is preparing a request for the American side to extradite Abdi. Earlier it was reported that a number of US senators called on the Department of State to provide Abdi with a visa to come to the United States to discuss the situation in Syria.
- Armored vehicles of the Turkish army on the Turkish-Syrian border
- Reuters
- © Huseyin Aldemir
Kurdish question
The reason for the new round of disagreements between the United States and Turkey was the question of the fate of Kurdish armed forces in northeastern Syria. In Washington, they are considered allies during the conflict in the SAR, while Ankara recognized them as terrorist organizations.
On October 9, Turkey launched Operation Source of Peace in the north of the SAR, targeting Kurdish armed groups, including SDS. At the same time, on October 7, after Ankara announced the possibility of an operation, Trump announced the start of the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, which were located in Kurdish-controlled territories.
The withdrawal of US troops from these areas gave opponents of the Trump administration from the US Democratic Party, as well as some members of the same party, an occasion to accuse the president of “betraying” Washington’s allies.
After a flurry of criticism hit Trump, he imposed sanctions against Ankara. Along with this, his letter to Erdogan appeared in the press, in which, in rather informal terms, he urged the head of the republic not to take responsibility for the deaths of thousands of people. In addition, he warned of the US’s readiness to “destroy the Turkish economy.”
Turkish authorities called the letter offensive and continued hostilities. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went to Ankara. Following the talks on October 17, the Turkish side agreed to suspend the operation.
However, later there was information that the United States, despite statements about the withdrawal of troops, could send additional units to the north-east of Syria to protect oil fields.
According to political analyst Alexander Asafov, a number of problems, not just the Kurdish issue, led to an aggravation of relations between Washington and Ankara.
“The key issue remains not only the Kurdish issue, but also the fact that the organizer of the coup attempt in Turkey, Fethullah Gulen, is hiding in the United States. Ankara has long been demanding to extradite him. And this question is not resolved in any way, although it is the key. The United States, in turn, is extremely unhappy that Turkey is purchasing Russian S-400 systems, ”the expert explained.
- Turkish military
- © Khalil Ashawi / Reuters
In turn, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies Vladimir Bruter noted that Turkey does not understand the US policy in the region: at first they announce the withdrawal of troops, but then decide to leave some of them.
“Turkey does not understand how Americans can leave and stay at the same time. This creates communication problems. At the same time, the United States obviously does not want to stop supporting Kurdish forces. They are trying to continue contacts with them, which is unacceptable for Turkey, ”the political scientist noted.
Russian mediation
Meanwhile, on October 22, Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Sochi, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The result of more than six hours of negotiations was the adoption of a number of decisions aimed at resolving the acute situation that has developed on the Syrian-Turkish border.
The next day, October 23, the first convoy of the Russian military police arrived in the city of Ain al-Arab on the Syrian-Turkish border. According to the memorandum, the Russian military will help ensure public safety and the rule of law, as well as conduct patrols in designated areas.
In addition, Russian experts will help withdraw Kurdish self-defense units along with weapons 30 km from the Syrian-Turkish border.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin
- © Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin / Kremlin via REUTERS
Together with Turkey, Russia became the guarantor of security in northeast Syria, Vladimir Bruter noted in an interview with RT.
“Without Turkey, these agreements would not work. Turkey actually agreed that joint patrols would operate within its security zone, and everything else at the discretion of Russia and Syria. Therefore, without Turkey all this would be impossible. And the Russian-Turkish negotiations were quite complicated. Of course, this is a huge foreign policy achievement for Russia, ”said the expert.
* “Islamic State” (IG) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014.