Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Tuesday told
U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington should cease its support for the
terrorist PKK's Syrian affiliate the PYD/YPG, according to presidential
sources.
"President Erdogan said that Turkey expects the new
U.S. administration to stand by Turkey in the fight against FETO” or the
Fetullah Terrorist Organization, the group blamed for last July’s defeated
coup, the sources told Anadolu Agency.
U.S.-based FETO leader Fetullah Gulen is the mastermind
behind the failed July 15 coup attempt, according to Turkey. Since last July,
Turkey has officially asked the U.S. to extradite Gulen, but the U.S. has said
it is still reviewing the evidence Ankara submitted.
Erdogan also highlighted the importance of countering the
PKK and stressed that U.S. should not support the PYD/YPG, said one of the
sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the
media.
The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the
U.S., and EU. More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and
civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK resumed its decades-old armed
campaign in July 2015.
While Turkey considers the PYD a terrorist group, the Obama
administration described the PYD as a "reliable partner" in the fight
against Daesh in Syria.
Whether Trump will break from his predecessor’s policy
towards the group is not yet known.
For more on the story,visit http://aa.com.tr/en/americas/erdogan-trump-discuss-closer-cooperation-on-terrorism/743768
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