Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refused to meet with the United States national security advisor John Bolton on Tuesday and accused Bolton of making “serious mistake” calling for a new condition to the US troops’ pullout from Syria.
While delivering a speech to parliament, Erdogan said on Monday, “We cannot accept Bolton’s messages given from Israel,” adding, Bolton has made a “serious mistake”.
Erdogan’s comments came after Bolton has asked Turkey to protect Kurdish militias and said Turkey must not attack them, in the wake of the US President Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw its troops from Syria. Bolton has been seeking assurance from Turkey that they would not attack Syrian Kurdish fighters after American troops’ pullout.
According to CNBC news reports, Erdogan said Turkey would never accept to compromise over the issue of the YPG militia (Kurdish), who was backed by the US fighting together against the Islamic State in Syria. Turkey views YPG as a terrorist group.
In a tweet, Turkish presidency wrote: “Those who cast aspersions on Turkey by claiming that it will massacre the Kurds in Syria are actually well aware of the facts behind the issue.”
It further tweeted: “They aim to influence the international community and the decisions of those who are not quite familiar with the situation in Syria.”
“Those who cast aspersions on Turkey by claiming that it will massacre the Kurds in Syria are actually well aware of the facts behind the issue.
They aim to influence the international community and the decisions of those who are not quite familiar with the situation in Syria.”
— Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (@trpresidency) January 8, 2019
It tweeted: “Nowhere does Turkey go with the aim of eliminating any community or innocent people. Wherever it goes, Turkey’s sole aim is to protect lives and ensure security. The only exception is terrorist organizations and terrorists.”
President Erdoğan: “Nowhere does Turkey go with the aim of eliminating any community or innocent people.
Wherever it goes, Turkey’s sole aim is to protect lives and ensure security. The only exception is terrorist organizations and terrorists.” pic.twitter.com/dNXUJwbpit
— Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (@trpresidency) January 8, 2019
Before leaving for Ankara, Bolton has said the US troop’s withdrawal would not take place until Turkey did not agree to not attack the Kurdish militia in Syria.
Erdogan has said he would not be able to hold a meeting with Bolton as he was preparing to visit parliament to deliver his speech. A US official said a meeting Erdogan and Bolton was never confirmed but though, expected to have one.
In his speech, Erdogan said on Tuesday, Turkey has now completed its preparations for a military operation in Syria and to boasts NATO’s second-largest military operation.
Turkey’s deputy foreign, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford and defence ministers attended the meeting with Bolton, as well as James Jeffrey, the U.S. envoy for Syria and the coalition against ISIS.