© Agence France-PresseOmar Haj KadourThis aerial view taken on August 5, 2019 shows a view of damaged and destroyed buildings in the town of Maaret Hurmah in the southern countryside of Syria's northwestern Idlib province
Turkey and the United States agreed to establish a centre to coordinate joint operations and the formation of a safe zone in Syria, the Turkish Defence Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
"The talks that took place in the Turkish Defense Ministry on August 5-7 with US military representatives regarding the planned safe zone in the north of Syria in coordination with the United States have been completed. During the talks, the sides agreed to take measures as soon as possible to eliminate Turkey's concerns about its national security," the ministry said.
"In this connection, it was decided to establish in Turkey in the near future a centre for joint operations, coordination and management of the creation of a safe zone in Syria," it said.
© Agence France-Presse/Aaref WatadA convoy of Turkish armoured vehicles drive towards Bab al-Hawa crossing point between Syria and Turkey on a highway in the northern countryside of the Syrian province of Idlib on June 20, 2019.
The United States has confirmed that Ankara and Washington plan to establish a joint operations centre in Turkey to manage the creation of a safe zone in northern Syria, the US Embassy in Turkey said in a statement on Wednesday after talks between military officials from the two countries.
"The delegations agreed on the following: a) the rapid implementation of initial measures to address Turkey's security concerns; b) to stand-up a joint operations centre in Turkey as soon as possible in order to coordinate and manage the establishment of the safe zone together," the statement said.
The US military delegation arrived in Ankara on 4 August to discuss the creation of a safe zone in northern Syria.
Comment: The agreement come apparently after the Pentagon rapped Erdogan's knuckles over plans for extending its reach into Syrian territory and threatening the US' Kurdish proxy forces. ZeroHedge
reports:
Turkey has for days been poised to unilaterally invade northern Syria over US objections, which Ankara officials say is to establish a 32 kilometer (20 mile) inside the war torn country, giving Turkey complete control of a region where the Syrian Kurdish YPG operates (People's Protection Units). Turkey has long considered the US-backed group, which forms the core of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to be a terrorist extension of the outlawed PKK.
The Pentagon has condemned the impending Turkish unilateral move, with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper telling reporters early Tuesday that it would be unacceptable and thwarted by Washington, though it's unclear how far the Pentagon would be willing to go. "What we're going to do is prevent unilateral incursions that would upset, again, these mutual interests that the United States, Turkey and the SDF share with regard to northern Syria," Esper said.
Crucially, according to ABC News, US officials "have made clear that an invasion is an extremely risky venture that could threaten the safety of U.S. forces working with the SDF...".
On Sunday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his forces would launch an operation in Syria east of the Euphrates River at an unspecified start date, and noted that the US and Russia had been notified.
In ongoing negotiations this summer the US and Turkey have clashed over just such a "safe zone," given Turkey wants the area completely clear of Kurdish armed groups, which the Pentagon simultaneously backs.
Turkish defense officials have lately threatened their "patience is limited" as the army builds up its forces along the border. The Foreign Ministry on Friday warned, "We won't let this process be dragged out. If our expectations aren't met, we are fully capable of taking whatever measures [are needed] to ensure our national security."
Ankara has long condemned US training, logistics support, and weapons going to the YPG, especially as it operates in Manbij, a key Syrian Kurdish stronghold near the border with Turkey.
US officials have been present in Ankara for talks early this week to try and negotiate a last minute settlement to avoid the invasion, with Esper noting Tuesday there's been "progress" made on certain key issues.
Comment: The agreement come apparently after the Pentagon rapped Erdogan's knuckles over plans for extending its reach into Syrian territory and threatening the US' Kurdish proxy forces. ZeroHedge reports: