Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan meets with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday called on PYD/YPG terrorists to leave the northern Syrian city of Manbij “as soon as possible.”
"Our goal is the exit of terror groups PYD/YPG from Manbij as soon as possible," Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in Istanbul.
The joint press conference comes after the 7th meeting of Ukraine-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
Erdogan said he will also meet his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on sidelines of international meeting due to be held in Paris on Nov. 10-11.
He recalled a Manbij roadmap previously set between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo.
"However, this road map was not complied," said Erdogan, adding that "now it is time to implement it" and "the process is ongoing".
Turkey works "with might and main" to raise “well-equipped” youth in the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday."We are working with might and main to build our future on a stable foundation and to raise well-equipped youth," Erdoğan said at the Turkish Youth Summit in Istanbul.Erdoğan said Turkey aims to widen the imagination of the youth instead of enclosing them with bans.Turkey calls on US to terminate engagement with PYD/YPG"Our common responsibility is to prepare a ground where the youth will not fall into the swamp of terror, violence, drugs and nihilism," he said.The president noted Turkey has increased the total number of youth centers to 286, which stood at nine in 2002, and also the number of sport facilities were increased from 1,575 to 3,567.Erdoğan said the government is converting the historical Rami Artillery Quarters, built in the 1770s in Eyup district on the European side of Istanbul, into Turkey's biggest library.Turkey expects to know on Monday if has waiver for Iran sanctionsTurkey calls for forming clearing house within D-8
Erdoğan: Turkey works ‘with might and main’ for youth
On Friday, Turkish National Defense Ministry shared a footage of the first round of the Turkey-U.S. joint patrols in Manbij that was conducted as part of the deal between the two countries.
The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of Syria's Aleppo province.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including those of women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.
Upon a question, Erdogan said during their recent phone conversation with Trump, they also discussed the issue of Turkey's state-run lender Halkbank. Erdogan said the U.S. president told him that he would immediately instruct his ministers about it.
Turkish National Defense Ministry on Friday shared a footage of the first round of the joint Turkey-US joint patrols in northern Syrian town of Manbij.The ministry on Thursday said in a statement that Turkish and U.S. armed forces continue their activities in Manbij within the framework of Manbij roadmap and security principles."Based on mutually conducted planning, coordination and joint training activities, combined joint patrols started today [Thursday] as of 3:53 p.m. [1353GMT]," it added.Video: First footage of joint Turkish, US patrols in Syria’s ManbijThe ministry also said combined joint patrols will continue "until the endstate agreed in Manbij roadmap is reached".The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of northern Syria's Aleppo province.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including those of women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.Police nab 3 PKK terrorists plotting attacks in big cities across Turkey
Ankara shares footage on joint Turkey-US patrols in Manbij
Syrian refugees in southeastern Turkey say they want Turkish forces to clear their hometown of YPG/PKK terrorists.The refugees from northeastern Tal Abyad town had their houses and properties seized and children abducted by the terror group. They have found safety in Akcakale district of Turkey's Sanliurfa province on the Syrian border.Ragid Dahis, one of the refugees in Turkey, said: “Tal Abyad is a town, where Arabs live but the YPG/PKK terror group, the U.S. and its allies seized whatever we had.Turkish, US forces start joint patrols in Syria's Manbij"They [terrorists] evacuated around 30 villages after razing them to ground by bulldozers and forced people to migrate."He said he wanted Turkey to liberate their hometown from terrorists so that they could return.“Our wish is for Tal Abyad to be cleared of the YPG/PKK. We want help from the Turkish Armed Forces,” he said.PKK uses Turkey as excuse to end anti-Daesh ops in SyriaAbdullah Imam, another Tal Abyad resident, said that the terror group brought terrorists from Qandil, northern Iraq to their soils after forcing them out of the town. “Around 100,000 people took refuge in Turkey because of the pressures and cruelty of these tyrant terrorists. Our only wish is our houses to be cleared of YPG/PKK."Mohamed Abid another refugee agreed.PKK terrorists accelerate weapons deliveries to Syria’s Tal Abyad as Turkey begins strikes“The YPG/PKK has not been doing this cruelty by itself. With the support of the U.S. and its allies and by force of arms, they made us leave our soil.“We all want to return home but we are afraid of returning as the YPG/PKK terror group are present there.“Our expectation from Turkey is to immediately remove these tyrants from our soil,” he said.'PKK/YPG will be buried in its own trenches in Manbij'On Tuesday, the Turkish military hit PKK/YPG positions in the Zor Magar region east of the Euphrates River and the town of Tal Abyad.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK.
Syrians want Turkey to free Tal Abyad from terrorists
Turkey-Ukraine ties
Regarding Turkish-Ukrainian relations, Erdoğan pointed out that the number of tourists coming from Ukraine to Turkey has surpassed one million in 2018.
"We will continue to strengthen our relations with Ukraine," Erdoğan said.
He said Turkey wishes early resolution of conflict in eastern Ukraine through “diplomatic and peaceful means.”
Turkey has never recognized illegal annexation of Crimea and it will never do in the future, Turkish president added.
In March 2014, Russia annexed Crimea after a controversial referendum, which drew the ire of the international community as Russian soldiers occupied the region during the voting process.
Erdoğan said Ukraine has supported Turkey after the failed coup attempt in 2016.
"I believe that our cooperation will continue in the following period in order to totally abolish FETO [Fetullah Terrorist Organization] presence in Ukraine," he said.
Regarding political prisoners in Russia, Erdogan said that he was previously notified about two Crimeans in Russian prisons; he said he conveyed the issue to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two were released.
"Now a larger list was given and again we immediately conveyed it to the Russian side," Erdogan added.
For his part, Poroshenko said Saturday's Istanbul meeting was very "fruitful".
He also said the leaders of the two countries have given necessary instructions for signing Free Trade Agreement “as soon as possible.”
Earlier on Saturday, Poroshenko also visited Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul and met with Patriarch Bartholomew.
Poroshenko and Bartholomew signed a cooperation agreement regarding the ongoing process for establishing an independent Ukrainian church.
On October 11, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was agreed to be independent of the Russian Orthodox Church during a meeting held at the Patriarchate in Istanbul.