PodcastPresidential spokesman meets US Syria envoy ahead of Erdoğan's US visit
Turkey's presidential spokesman on Saturday received U.S. Syria envoy James Jeffrey and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield in Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. They discussed the recent developments in Syria, as well as details of President Erdoğan's upcoming visit to the U.S.
Anadolu Agency
Turkey's presidential spokesman on Saturday received U.S. Syria envoy James Jeffrey and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield in Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, according to a statement released after the meeting.
İbrahim Kalın’s closed-door meeting with the top U.S. officials lasted for 90 minutes and they discussed the recent developments in Syria, as well as details of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's upcoming visit to the U.S.
The safe zone in northern Syria, the latest situation in Syria's Idlib and the progress in the Syrian political solution process were also discussed during the meeting, the statement added.
The officials also stressed the importance of the Constitutional Committee to ensure transparent, fair and free elections in Syria.
The Constitutional Committee is mandated under the UN-facilitated Geneva process to prepare and draft constitutional reforms toward a political settlement in Syria. Its first round of meetings began on Oct. 30 with the participation of 150 members; it will resume in Geneva on Nov. 25.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to clear the pro-Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River.
The parties also underlined that the cooperation with the U.S. on Syria's safe zone reached on Oct. 17 should be fostered in line with the agreement reached, it added.
The U.S. and Turkey on Oct. 17 came to an agreement to pause Turkey's operation in northern Syria for 120 hours in order to allow the withdrawal of the YPG forces from the planned safe zone.
On Oct. 22, Turkey and Russia reached a deal under which the YPG would pull back 30 km south of Turkey’s border with Syria, and security forces from Turkey and Russia would mount joint patrols there.
Turkey considers the YPG - the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)- as the Syrian branch of the PKK which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.