Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
An attack on Syria's Idlib, the last opposition-held stronghold, would be a massacre and the upcoming summit in Tehran, which will be attended by the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey, will yield positive results, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters on the plane back from an official visit to Kyrgyzstan.
“Turkey is working with Russia and Iran. Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib, and our security forces are resolutely carrying out their duties. There are 3.5 million people [in Idlib]. God forbid, if this area is hailed by missiles there would be a grave massacre. In that case, where would those fleeing go to? The majority would come to Turkey. This could give rise to a new issue,” Erdoğan said.
“Apart from Idlib, be it regarding Tell Rifaat or Manbij, our efforts are ongoing. The Tehran summit will be held on Sept. 7. We will carry this issue to a positive point with the Tehran summit, which is a continuation of Astana. I hope we will be able to prevent the Syrian government's extremism in this region,” he added.
Russia and Turkey, along with Iran are sponsoring the Astana peace talks, which focuses on a cease-fire and ending the seven-year civil war in Syria.
A large-scale Syrian regime offensive in the opposition stronghold of Idlib could lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century”, the UN’s humanitarian chief warned on Tuesday.Mark Lowcock, under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has expressed alarm over the military preparations of the Bashar al-Assad regime, after his talks in Damascus last week.Galeri: Civilians killed in Russian airstrikes against Syria’s Idlib“This has the potential to be the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world in the 21st century,” he told Anadolu Agency, and called for diplomatic efforts to avoid it.Lowcock underlined that around 4 million people living in and around Idlib, among them more than one million children, were in an extremely vulnerable situation.“Many of them have been displaced multiple times. Many of them are living under tents, they have no shelter, they are extremely vulnerable,” he stressed.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib has long been controlled by various armed opposition groups. It was designated as a “de-escalation zone” during the Astana peace talks.Lowcock recalled that in the past years, many fighters from Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta were relocated to Idlib, as part of agreements.“The Eastern Ghouta and the Aleppo situations were ultimately resolved by fighters and their families and others being relocated …and they were relocated in Idlib. But now there is nowhere else to be to go,” he said.“For the sake of those millions and millions of people, and a million children in Idlib, there needs to be a solution which does not involve enormous massacres, and there needs to be a dialogue, just as there was in the south of Syria, over the last few weeks,” he added.Lowcock called for diplomatic efforts involving regional actors to avoid a great, bloody battle for Idlib.On Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.A trilateral summit of Turkey, Russia and Iran on Syria is scheduled for Friday, with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
UN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in Idlib
Manbij roadmap not proceeding as planned
Erdoğan stated that the road map for the northern Syrian city of Manbij agreed between Ankara and Washington in June is not proceeding as planned.
“I can say that we are not at the point discussed by our foreign minister and [his U.S. counterpart] Mike Pompeo regarding Manbij. It is being neglected. We are not at an ideal point. Unfortunately the agreement made is not going forward in the same direction as the initial discussions. I hope that we will enter a new phase with the meetings our Foreign Minister [Mevlüt] Çavuşoğlu and our Defense Minister Hulusi Akar will hold with their counterparts,” Erdoğan said.
Under the road map for Manbij agreed by the two NATO allies, Turkish and U.S. forces are now carrying out joint patrols to clear the area of the YPG.
In a meeting on Tuesday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and the U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, discussed the developments in Syria.
Russia’s ambassador to Turkey’s Ankara Aleksey Yerhov on Wednesday said that the two countries were in communication regarding the developments in northern Syria.“We are in contact with Turkey regarding the situation in northern Syria,” Yerhov said, adding that the Syria summit to be held in Iran’s Tehran on Sept. 7 was an opportunity to reach a solution for the war-torn country.The summit held in Tehran will be attended by the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey. Idlib, which is the last major opposition-stronghold, will be on the agenda.UN envoy urges Erdoğan, Putin to discuss IdlibOn Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of ongoing peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana.UN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in IdlibUS Turkish embassy voices concern over Idlib offensive
Russia says in contact with Turkey regarding northern Syria
“Right now, the situation in Idlib is of critical importance for us. A ruthless process has been going on there. God forbid, if disaster strikes, the first place they will be able to flee to is Turkey. Now such a risk is on the agenda at a time Syrians [in Turkey] have started to return,” Erdoğan said.
Idlib, located in northwestern Syria on the Turkish border, has faced intense attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime after a vicious civil war broke out in 2011. Since March 2015, Idlib is no longer under the control of the Assad regime and has been overrun by opposition groups.
The Assad regime is currently preparing for an offensive to recapture the region.
The UN’s special envoy for Syria called on the leaders of Russia and Turkey on Tuesday to dialogue to effect a solution for Syria's Idlib."To President [Vladimir] Putin and President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan, you are the ones, who actually were able to talk to each other, make a telephone call, organize a formula that allow the end of that horrible peril not to be the worst," Staffan de Mistura said at a news conference at the UN Office in Geneva."[A] telephone call between two of you would make a big difference even before Tehran," he added.Talks on Syria in the Iranian capital will be held Sept. 7 with Iran, Russia and Turkey.De Mistura said the situation in Idlib should be carefully evaluated in terms of politics and the military and a sustainable solution is not impossible as an Erdoğan and Putin's one-on-one meeting would be effective.Kremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's Idlib'White Helmets saved 115,000 lives in Syria'"There has often been in the past occasions for finding a reasonable, logical, non-dramatic solution. That's why I am urging them [to talk]," he remarked.The priority in Idlib is to protect civilians as women, men, teachers, medical staff, engineers, according to de Mistura, as children have been trapped in the unknown. Earlier Tuesday, de Mistura held a news conference in Geneva, where he said the organization is worried about a possible operation in Idlib by the Assad regime and its supporters.Civilians in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, fearing a possible assault by the regime and its allies, are looking to Turkey to ensure the region’s safety.Residents are urging Turkey to increase the number of observation points in the area with a view to protecting civilians from an attack they believe is imminent.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of ongoing peace talks in Kazakh capital of Astana.Russia resumes Idlib air strikes: Syrian ObservatoryTurkey, US foreign ministers discuss Syria's Idlib and ManbijTop US general warns against major assault on Syria's Idlib
UN envoy urges Erdoğan, Putin to discuss Idlib
Turkey-U.S. ties
The Turkish president also said that U.S. President Donald Trump had not requested a meeting on the sidelines of this month’s UN general assembly, and that he would not submit a request either.
Regarding the case of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson, which has caused relations between Ankara and Washington to sour, Erdoğan said that Turkey cannot fulfill "unlawful requests.” Erdoğan added that Turkey followed the rule of law and the U.S. would not be able to make progress in the case by using threats.
“As another example, we can look at the situation of Halkbank executive Hakan Atilla. He entered the U.S. six times, and they arrested him as he was leaving from his seventh visit. Halkbank doesn’t even have a branch in the U.S. What is the crime of Halkbank or its executive? There is no clear evidence. The law is not important for them [the U.S.]. They say that they are mighty, and therefore right,” Erdoğan said.
A U.S. law firm hired by Turkey to look into state-owned Halkbank's dealings with Iran found that it did not violate U.S. sanctions, Turkey's finance minister told Reuters, and Ankara does not expect the bank to face any fine.Law firm King and Spalding and data firm Exiger carried out the investigation after a Halkbank executive was charged in New York last year with taking part in a scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions.The executive was found guilty and sentenced in May to 32 months in jail, a decision which Turkey dismissed as politically motivated."All Iran foreign trade related data, emails and related documents required for the investigation were presented for examination for the U.S. firms," Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said."As a result of a months-long independent examination, it has been established that the bank had not violated primary and secondary U.S. sanctions against Iran."Albayrak also said the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which enforces U.S. economic sanctions, had been constantly informed of Halkbank's Iran trade.Turkey’s central bank to support price stability"We do not expect a fine on Halkbank," he added, predicting that the bank would emerge "completely clean" from the process. "Anything otherwise would be a completely political decision."Referring to Turkey's wider standoff with the United States, Albayrak said Washington had taken it to a point that did not benefit "the U.S. state or people".A dispute over the detention and trial on terrorism charges of a U.S. evangelical pastor prompted President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on two Turkish ministers and double tariffs on Turkish metal imports.The two NATO allies are also divided over policy in northern Syria, Ankara's plans to buy a Russian missile defence system and new U.S. demands for countries to halt oil purchases from Iran, a major source of Turkey's energy imports.Turkey's manufacturing index at 46.4 points in AugustTurkey's central bank independent, will take necessary steps Turkey's central bank is independent of government and will take all necessary steps, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak told Reuters.The bank will hold its next rate-setting meeting on Sept. 13, after leaving rates on hold in late July. Since then, it has responded to the lira's plunge to record lows in August by tightening liquidity.The bank said on Monday it would take necessary actions to support price stability and it would adjust its monetary stance at next week's meeting. The statement came after inflation surged to nearly 18 percent year-on-year in August.Erdoğan proposes to trade without US dollarAlbayrak said that the bank, at its last meeting, said it would look at the markets and at price stability and "would not hesitate to take the necessary steps", in coordination with government fiscal measures.He also said that, since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's re-election in June, monetary and fiscal policy were closely aligned, strengthening the bank's hand.The lira has fallen some 40 percent against the dollar so far this year."The central bank in Turkey has been maybe more independent than those in other countries, and it will continue this period by taking steps to continue this independence," Albayrak said.
Turkey expects no fine for Halkbank: FinMin
A U.S. law firm hired by Turkey to look into state-owned Halkbank's dealings with Iran found that it did not violate U.S. sanctions. Law firm King and Spalding and data firm Exiger carried out the investigation after a Halkbank executive was charged in New York last year with taking part in a scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions. The executive was found guilty and sentenced in May to 32 months in jail, a decision which Turkey said was politically motivated.
Erdoğan hails new U.S. special representative for Syria
Erdoğan lauded the new U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, who met with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday in Ankara.
“I believe Mr. [James] Jeffrey’s appointment is on point. During my visit to the U.S., I had met with him. I believe his appointment is so sagacious it cannot be compared to the previous envoy, who has not been taken off duty and is still active in the region. I hope his appointment will benefit this new process, and that it will enable some steps to be taken quicker,” Erdoğan said.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday received U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, in the capital Ankara.In a closed-door meeting, Akar expressed Turkey's discomfort at the YPG/PKK presence in Syria and said that the terror group must leave the region.He also conveyed Turkey’s intention to continue protecting its security and regional interests in accordance with international law, as well as the need to completely rid the region from the terrorist organization.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.Video: Turkish Defense Minister receives US Special Representative for SyriaThe request came as Turkish and U.S. forces are carrying out joint patrols in the northwestern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a roadmap to clear the area of the YPG.Turkey has carried out two-cross border operations against the YPG in Syria.In a move long sought by Turkey, the NATO allies agreed in June to implement a roadmap for the northern Syrian city of Manbij, where Ankara had threatened to push its ground offensive despite the U.S. troops stationed there.UN sees 'moment of truth' for Syria political processKremlin dismisses Trump warning on Syria's IdlibRussia resumes Idlib air strikes: Syrian ObservatoryPossible war between Israel, Iran loomsYPG/PKK terror group suffers heavy losses in August
Turkey tells US that YPG/PKK must leave Syria
Turkey-EU relations
“Unfortunately, the EU has not responded to the positive steps Turkey has taken. We still have not received reciprocation. Many decisions were always postponed. From free movement to aid promised for refugees, we want to surpass these matters so that we can see ahead,” Erdoğan said.
In 2016, Turkey and the EU signed a deal aiming to stem the irregular migration flow through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving conditions for nearly 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Turkey has long complained of the EU being slow to deliver the promised funds for refugees and failing to uphold its end of the deal concerning visa-free travel.
Erdoğan’s upcoming visit to Germany
“The EU, apart from a few exceptions, is not at the point we desire. I will make an official visit to Germany following the invitation of the president [Frank Walter Steinmeier]. The visit will also give me the opportunity to meet with [chancellor] Angela Merkel. There are many matters that must be evaluated regarding Turkey-Germany relations. There are over three million Turks in Germany. I place great importance upon this visit, which will give us the opportunity to discuss many issues face to face. Germany has a very critical position in the EU, and is virtually a leader,” he added.
Macron should conduct return visit to Turkey
“France seems more positive, but [French President Emmanuel] Macron did not conduct a return visit, and he should. We hold meetings and phone calls in order to make moves, but their approach regarding the developments in Syria are not too good. We cannot say that the approach of the Netherlands or Belgium is too good,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president had visited France in early 2018.