MESOPOTAMIA NEWS “WHO FOOLS WHOM?” – US and Turkey agreed to a ceasefire in Syria, says Pence
Pompeo to meet Netanyahu in Jerusalem Friday
Omri Nahmias, Tovah Lazaroff – JERUSALEM POST October 17, 2019 22:05
The US has reached a deal with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for a ceasefire in northern Syria to end an eight-day-old Turkish offensive against Kurdish-led forces, President Mike Pence told reporters in Ankara on Thursday evening. A jubilant US President Donald Trump immediately tweeted from Washington, “Millions if lives will be saved!”
“This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some ‘tough’ love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!,” Trump tweeted. “This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this “Deal” for many years,” Trump said as he continued to tweet.
News of a cease fire came as it appeared that US credibility in the region was at an all time low. It had seemed as if Pence and US Secretary of State’s meeting with Erdogan in Ankara had almost no chance of success.
Pompeo was scheduled to fly from Ankara to Israel, where he is slated to update Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the morning in Jerusalem before heading to Brussels to meet with the NATO Secretary-General.
In Ankara Pence explained that with the implementation of the ceasefire, the United States will not impose any further sanctions on Turkey, “and once a permanent ceasefire is in effect, the president has agreed to withdraw the economic sanctions that were imposed this last Monday.”
He set out the steps that would occur over the first five days, before the permanent cease fire set in.
“The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow for the withdrawal of YPG forces from the safe zone for 120 hours, said Pence. “All military operations under operation peace spring will be paused, and operation peace spring will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal. Our administration has already been in contact with Syrian defense forces, and we have already begun to facilitate their safe withdrawal from the nearly 20-mile wide safe zone area South of the Turkish border in Syria.”
As part of the understanding between the countries, Turkey would not take any military action against Kurds in Kobani, Pence said.
“The United States and Turkey have both mutually committed to a peaceful resolution and future for the safe zone working on an international basis to ensure that peace and security define this border region of Syria,” the vice president explained.
He said that the two countries are “committed to the defeat ISIS activities in Northeast Syria,” and that the sides decided to renew an agreement to coordinate efforts on detention facilities and internally displaced persons in formerly ISIS-controlled areas.
“Turkey and the United States agreed on the priority of respecting vulnerable human life, human rights, and particularly the protection of religious and ethnic communities in the region,” Pence continued. “I spoke to president Trump just a few moments ago, and I know the president is very grateful for president Erdogan’s willingness to step forward and to enact this ceasefire and to give an opportunity for a peaceful solution of this conflict that commenced one week ago.”
Pence said U.S. forces in the region had already begun to facilitate a safe disengagement of YPG units.
Pence said the United States and Turkey had committed to a peaceful resolution of Ankara’s demand for a “safe zone” in northern Syria near Turkey’s border, one of the objectives of the Turkish offensive.
“Turkey’s had a great concern about their border,” the vice president added. “And while the United States of America did not approve of their military crossing into Syria, we have always endorsed a safe zone, and it was a matter of discussion and negotiations. We believe that the Kurdish population in Syria with which we have a strong relationship will continue to endure. The United States will always be grateful for our partnership with SDF in defeating ISIS. But, we recognize the importance and the value of a safe zone to create a buffer between Syria proper and the Kurdish population and the Turkish border.”
He said that president Trump was against the Turkish military operation. “Make no mistake about it. President Trump was very clear with our ally Turkey about American opposition to Turkish military forces entering Syria. President made that a clear in his discussions and his correspondence with president and Erdogan. Our team is already working with YPG personnel in the safe zone for an orderly withdrawal outside the 20-mile Mark.”
Pence added that he had spoken to U.S. President Donald Trumn after the talks and that Trump had expressed his gratitude for the ceasefire accord.
The deal was a major contribution to relations between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, which have become strained in recent months.
After Pence and Erdogan met at the presidential palace, talks between Turkish and U.S. delegations continued for over four hours – well past their expected duration.
Pence’s mission was to persuade Erdogan to halt the internationally condemned offensive, but Turkish officials had said before the meeting began that the action would continue regardless.
The Turkish assault has created a new humanitarian crisis in Syria with 200,000 civilians taking flight, a security alert over thousands of Islamic State fighters abandoned in Kurdish jails, and a political maelstrom at home for President Donald Trump.
Trump has been accused of abandoning Kurdish-led fighters, Washington’s main partners in the battle to dismantle Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate in Syria, by withdrawing troops from the border as Ankara launched its offensive on Oct. 9.
Trump had defended his move on Wednesday as “strategically brilliant.” He said he thought Pence and Erdogan would have a successful meeting, but warned of sanctions and tariffs that “will be devastating to Turkey’s economy” otherwise.