Turkey and U.S.A meet today over Syria

23 August 2012 – ANF – Buffer zone, fight against PKK and post-Assad among issues to be discussed at meeting.  Turkish and U.S. commissions on Syria will be meeting in Ankara today to discuss the fight against PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and the establishment of a buffer zone on the Syrian border. The meeting in the capital city will be attended by military, intelligence and political representatives of both countries.

The “political, military and intelligence working group” which is to hold its first meeting today was decided on during the 11 August dated meeting of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Ankara.

Today’s meeting in the capital city will be chaired by deputy undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Halit Cevik on Turkey’s side and by Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, the U.S. Department of State.

According to reports by diplomatic sources, the meeting will mainly address the subjects of a buffer zone on Syrian border, humanitarian assistance, measures to be taken against chemical weapons use, formation of Syrian government after Assad and common fight against the PKK. The Turkish state asks for the prevention of Kurds’ rights in Syria in return for the political-military support it provides for the opponent circles against Assad’s regime which it has already declared an enemy. Turkey’s intention for the establishment of a buffer zone on Syrian border has revealed itself much more obviously since Kurds in Syria seized power in many Syrian cities about one month ago. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan underlined in the face of the developments in Kurdish regions in Syria that they will never allow the formation of a Kurdish structure that could constitute a threat against Turkey.