- Title: Turkey says German proposal on Syria safe zone not realistic
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) CAVUSOGLU AND MAAS ARRIVING TO NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU SAYING: "The issue of establishing a military zone in this area is not something Turkey can respond on its own but it is not realistic either. Now, you have the Syrian regime is in this area coming to the upper parts, you have Russia and other actors. Therefore, we don't find this proposal realistic after this point. Now, we think it will be more useful if we focus on clearing (this zone) from terror and as well as the return of people and make effort together on humanitarian issues." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, SAYING: "We would investigate even if it is the tiniest bit of violation, allegation or complaint. Our president (Tayyip Erdogan) has straight orders on this latter. We would investigate until the end. We will not tolerate even the tiniest bit of human rights violation. Turkey is a state of law. We are very sensitive regarding these issues. Our fight is against terror." CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER HEIKO MAAS SAYING: "The discussion over the 'safe zone' for northeast Syria was entitled to take up less time in our talk than is the case in this news conference; that says pretty much everything. We were told everywhere it's not a realistic suggestion. That's why we used the time to deal with those issues which are important for the people in Syria right now: the issue of what happens with the ceasefire after 150 hours, the issue of how humanitarian aids continues with those who are fleeing in Syria, but also in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER HEIKO MAAS SAYING: "We spoke today about Idlib, not just today, I also had a talk this week with my ministry colleague Sergei Lavrov. The Sochi agreement was also talked about, as well as overall what will happen in Syria. For us, the situation in Idlib is extraordinary difficult as before, due to the fact that in the last months and years many people fled there." PHOTOGRAPHER CAVUSOGLU AND MAAS SHAKING HANDS / LEAVING
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 12:41
- Keywords: Heiko Maas Mevlut Cavusoglu Germany Turkey Germany Turkey relations
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002B2QGSW7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkey does not find a German proposal on creating an international "safe zone" in northeast Syria realistic, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday (October 26).
Speaking at a joint news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Cavusoglu also said Turkey would not tolerate any human rights violations in northeast Syria and would investigate any allegations that they had taken place.
Turkey sent troops into northeast Syria this month targeting Kurdish YPG militia. Fighting has ceased in the area following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire followed by an agreement Ankara reached with Moscow for Russian and Syrian forces to clear the border area of the YPG fighters, viewed by Turkey as terrorists.
Maas also commented on his telephone meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the situation.
Around 300 more Russian military police have arrived in Syria, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday, under an accord between Ankara and Moscow which halted Turkey's military incursion into northeast Syria.
(Production: Mert Ozkan, Yesim Dikmen, Barbara Woolsey) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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