- Title: Pence says Turkey, U.S. agree ceasefire in northeast Syria
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AND SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO ARRIVING TO DELIVER STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SAYING: ''Earlier this week President Trump took decisive action to call on Turkish forces to stand down, to end the violence, to agree to negotiations and today I am proud to report thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump and the strong relationship between President Erdogan and Turkey and the United States of America that today the United States and Turkey have agreed to a ceasefire in Syria. 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. 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 defence (democratic) forces and we have already begun to facilitate their safe withdrawal from the nearly 20 mile wide safe zone area, south of Turkish border in Syria.'' VIDEO JOURNALIST FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: ''Let me say this also includes an agreement by Turkey to engage in no military action against the community of Kobani and in addition, United States and and in addition 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 defines this border region of Syria. In addition to the settlement today, with the ceasefire, Turkey and the United States mutually committed to the defeat (of) ISIS activities in northeast Syria. This will also include an agreement renewed today to coordinate efforts on detention facilities and internally displaced persons in formerly ISIS controlled areas.'' JOURNALISTS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SAYING: ''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 into an active ceasefire and give an opportunity for a peaceful solution of this conflict that commenced one week ago. For my part, I am grateful for the President's leadership. I am grateful for the more than five hours of negotiations with President Erdogan and his team that arrived at the solution that we believe will save lives.'' PENCE AND POMPEO LISTENING TO QUESTION BY REPORTER
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 19:06
- Keywords: Syrian opposition Vice President Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan Turkey YPG Syria U.S. military operation Kurdish militia Mike Pence
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HHVT3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Thursday (October 17) he had 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.
Speaking after crisis talks with Erdogan in Ankara, Pence said that under the deal all military operations would be paused to allow a pullback of Kurdish YPG militia over a 120-hour period. The Turkish military operation would end once that withdrawal was complete, Pence told a news conference.
"Today the United States and Turkey have agreed to a ceasefire in Syria," Pence told a news conference after more than four hours of talks at the presidential palace in Ankara.
"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," Pence said. "All military operations under Operation Peace Spring will be paused, and Operation Peace Spring will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal."
Pence said U.S. forces in the region had already begun to facilitate a safe disengagement of YPG units.
The deal struck with Erdogan also provided for Turkey not to engage in military operations in the flashpoint Syrian border town of Kobani.
The truce was swiftly hailed by President Donald Trump, who said it would save "millions of lives" but Turkish leaders cast it as a complete victor.
If implemented it would achieve all the main objectives Turkey announced when it launched the assault eight days ago: control of a strip of Syria more than 30 km (20 miles) deep, with the Kurdish YPG militia, formerly close U.S. allies, obliged to pull out.
"The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces," a joint U.S.-Turkish statement released after the talks said.
A Turkish official told Reuters Ankara got "exactly what we wanted" from the talks with the United States. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described it as a pause, solely to allow the Kurdish fighters to withdraw.
Trump tweeted: "Great news out of Turkey".
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